MOLECULAR DRAWINGS & THE REACTIONS OF ORGANIC MACRO-MOLECULES

This work deals with the biological macro-molecules, most of which are polymers. All these macro-molecules
are formed through CONDENSATION REACTIONS and are broken down through HYDROLYSIS
REACTIONS. Complete the tasks below on the Cornell note sheets.

LIPIDS
Lipids are not polymers, they are macro-molecules formed from a glycerol backbone, attached to which are
1 or 2 or 3 fatty acid chains. The variable which makes one lipid different from another is the number and
structure of the fatty acid chains. The fatty acids may be saturated (with hydrogen) or unsaturated. There is
sometimes another variable in the glycerol, which for instance might have a phosphorous group attached to it
– phospholipid (in cell membranes).
☛You should be able to draw a simple annotated diagram of a triglyceride.
☛You should be able to understand and draw the condensation reaction between glycerol and a fatty acid
which forms the ester bond. (And draw its reverse, the hydrolysis reaction, as the bond is broken.)

☛You should be able to distinguish between a saturated and an unsaturated fat – by means of a drawing.

The remaining biological macro-molecules are all polymers, which are created from monomers. The
monomers (building blocks) repeat many times until sometimes huge molecules are formed. The monomers
are joined by bonds created by condensation reactions.

POLYSACCHARIDES (Carbohydrates)
☛You need to be able to draw the ring structure of glucose (C6) and ribose (C5) sugars. (These are the only
monomers we need to consider.)
☛You need to be able to describe/show/draw the condensation reaction which links two simple monomer
sugars to form a disaccharide (dimer).
This is best shown as glucose + fructose to form sucrose, or glucose + glucose + glucose + glucose etc. to
form the polysaccharide starch. The bond formed between two monomer sugars in a condensation reaction is
called a glycosidic bond.

POLYPEPTIDES  PROTEINS
☛You need to be able to draw the generalised structure of an amino acid.
There are 22 commonly found amino acids, each with a different R group. The amino group on one side and
the acid group on the other are always the same; it is what is joined to the pivotal carbon which differentiates
one amino acid from another. At this stage you do not need to know the difference between any amino acids.
☛You need to be able to describe/show/draw the condensation reaction between two generalised amino acids
to form a dipeptide.
The bond formed between two amino acids in a condensation reaction is called a peptide bond.

NUCLEIC ACIDS (DNA & RNA)

Later!