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Functional groups

Functional groups are specific atoms or groups of atoms that determine the chemical properties of organic compounds. Key functional groups include hydroxyl, carboxyl, and phosphate groups, each influencing solubility, acidity, and structural roles in biological molecules like DNA and proteins. Understanding functional groups is essential for predicting chemical reactions and behaviors in organic chemistry.

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3 views

Functional groups

Functional groups are specific atoms or groups of atoms that determine the chemical properties of organic compounds. Key functional groups include hydroxyl, carboxyl, and phosphate groups, each influencing solubility, acidity, and structural roles in biological molecules like DNA and proteins. Understanding functional groups is essential for predicting chemical reactions and behaviors in organic chemistry.

Uploaded by

Panna Palfi-Kovacs
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Functional groups

Functional groups can be a single atom or a group of atoms within a molecule and
they have very similar chemical properties whenever they appear in various compounds.
Other parts can vary while they remain reacting the same way. This happens in certain
functional groups. Organic compounds are organized into certain major categories based on
the functional groups they contain. They have consistent functions. Macromolecules are held
together by bonds which are affected by functional groups.
The hydroxyl group consists of one hydrogen atom which covalently bonds with one
oxygen atom. Many different compounds contain hydroxyl groups such as water, alcohols or
carboxylic acids. The compounds that contain hydroxyl groups have hydrogen bonds between
their molecules. Their properties are determined by what molecules they have besides the
hydroxyl groups. Hydroxy-containing compounds have higher boiling and melting points
because these compounds highly engage in intermolecular hydrogen bonding which increases
the electrostatic attraction between the molecules. Adding a hydroxyl group into compounds
converts them into alcohols which enhances their solubility in water.
In the carboxyl group, a carbon atom is double-bonded to an oxygen atom and single-
bonded to a hydroxyl group. They are found in many different compounds. Carboxyl groups
can be ionized by missing a hydrogen atom. These ionized carboxyl groups can act as acids,
they are more stable and they require less energy. The carboxyl groups are considered weak
acids because they can release a free proton relatively easily, but they can remain stable. This
is due to the fact that their negative charge is able to switch back and forth between the two
oxygen atoms. Carboxylic acids are organic acids that contain a carboxyl group attached to a
substituent. If a compound contains a carboxyl group it will have a high melting and boiling
point, because it can form hydrogen bonds in both solids and liquids. The high melting and
boiling point increases the group’s solubility in water. Amino acids, proteins and fatty acids
can contain carboxyl groups.
The phosphate group has a negative charge, it consists of a phosphorus attached to
four oxygens. It has many important applications. It is an important structural component in
the genetic material DNA and RNA. It is also a component of ATP and other energy-rich
molecules. The phosphate group appears in the hydrophilic heads of phospholipids in the cell
membrane. The phosphate group is an important resource in ecosystems such as freshwater
environments. This group is also involved in activating proteins, they perform
phosphorylation. Dephosphorylation deactivates proteins, this happens through the removal of
a phosphate group.
Functional groups are very important in chemistry and in life too. It determines the
properties of many organic compounds. This is helpful since it can help people predict the
chemical reactions and behaviours of these chemical compounds. It decides how it reacts with
other molecules. There are a lot of functional groups, about fifteen key groups. Seven groups
are important to biological systems. Each has different chemical properties. They play
different roles such as the formation of molecules like DNA, lipids or proteins.

https://chem.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_Kentucky/UK%3A_CHE_103_-
_Chemistry_for_Allied_Health_(Soult)/Chapters/Chapter_4%3A_Structure_and_Function/
4.4%3A_Functional_Groups

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/hydroxyl-group

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxy_group
https://study.com/academy/lesson/carboxyl-group-definition-structure.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substituent

https://biologydictionary.net/phosphate-group/

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/General_Chemistry/Book%3A_General_Chemistry
%3A_Principles_Patterns_and_Applications_(Averill)/23%3A_Organic_Compounds/
23.02%3A_Functional_Groups_and_Classes_of_Organic_Compounds

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