Basic Chemistry Review

Inorganic & Organic Molecules

Chemicals are divided into organic &
inorganic
Organic
complex, large, contain carbon backbone
living things are formed from organic
molecules
Inorganic
relatively small and simple
most important to biology: water, salts &
simple acids & bases

Chemical Bonds
Covalent Bonds
Bonds in organic molecules are covalent
Hydrogen Bonds
Important for properties of water
Ionic Bonds
Found in salts, acids and bases
Van der Waals Bonds
Hydrophobic Interactions


Covalent Bonds
Formed by sharing a pair of electrons
The strongest chemical bonds
Rarely break spontaneously
Average about 80 kcal/mol
Can be single, double, triple
Can have partial charges creating polar molecules
Atoms involved have different electronegativities
Water is the most important example of this
Bonds in organic molecules are covalent
Hydrogen Bonds
Formed when a hydrogen atom is shared
between two molecules
Hydrogen bonds have polarity
A hydrogen atom covalently attached to a
very electronegative atom (N, O, P) shares its
partial positive charge with a second
electronegative atom (N, O, P)
Hydrogen bonding between water molecules
accounts for many properties that sustain life
Ionic Bonds
Are formed when there is a complete transfer of
electrons from one atom to another
Are weaker than covalent bonds
Usually 4-7 kcal/mol
Results in formation of 2 ions, one (+) and one (-)
Sodium donates the one electron in its outermost
energy level to chlorine, which needs one more
electron to fill its outermost energy level
Results in Na
+
and Cl
-
ions
Forms table salt, NaCl
All salts, acids and bases are formed through ionic
bonds
Important in living systems because their ionic charges
promote dissociation in water


Van der Waals Bonds
Sometimes called Van der Waals forces or
interactions
Very weak bonds
No greater than 1 kcal/mol
Formed between non-polar molecules or non-
polar parts of molecules
The weak bond is created because a bond in
one molecule can have a transient dipole and
induce a dipole in another bond
Hydrophobic Interactions
Non-polar molecules cannot form H-bonds with
H
2
O
Therefore these molecules are hydrophobic
(water hating)
Tend to aggregate together to avoid contact
with water
Forces that drive these molecules together are
hydrophobic interactions
e.g. oil on water
Functional Groups
Molecular subgroups that stay together

Hydroxyl R OH Alcohols

Carbonyl R C = O Aldehydes
|
H
Carbonyl R C = O Ketones
|
R

Carboxyl R C = O Carboxylic Acids
|
OH
More Functional Groups
Amino R N H Amines
|
H
O
-
|
Phosphate R O P = O Organic Phosphates
|
O
-

Sulfhydryl R SH Thiols

*R stands for any group of atoms that is attached to a
functional group by a covalent bond