27.2 Amino Acids, Amides & Chirality

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

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Front (Question)

What is an amino acid?

Back (Answer)

Organic compound containing both amine & carboxyl groups general formula RCH(NH2)COOH

Front (Question)

Describe the reactions of Amino Acids in relation to its functional groups:

Back (Answer)

Amino acids react similarly to carboxylic acids & amines, since they have both carboxyl & amine functional groups

Front (Question)

What is an alpha amino acid?

Back (Answer)

amino acid in which same carbon is attached to amine & carboxyl group

Front (Question)

Amino acid + Acid ⟶

Back (Answer)

ammonium salt (H+ from acid forms dative covalent bond with :N ⟶ NH3+, then forms ionic bond with Cl-)

Front (Question)

Amino Acid + Alkali ⟶

Back (Answer)

Salt + Water (metal from alkali substitutes H in carboxyl, leaving salt + H+ + OH-)

Front (Question)

Amino acid + Alcohol ⟶

Back (Answer)

Ester + Water (esterification) Concentrated H2SO4 catalyst (acidic conditions protonate amine group)

Front (Question)

Amino acid + Alcohol ⟶ Ester + Water What condition(s) is/are required for this reaction?

Back (Answer)

concentrated H2SO4 catalyst

Front (Question)

What is an amide?

Back (Answer)

Molecule where nitrogen is bonded to carbonyl group formed from acyl chloride + amine/ammonia

Front (Question)

What happens to the amine group during esterification of an amino acid?

Back (Answer)

protonated ⟶ NH3+ (because of acidic conditions)

#10

Front (Question)

How is an amide made?

Back (Answer)

Acyl chloride + Ammonia

#11

Front (Question)

Acyl chloride + Ammonia ⟶

Back (Answer)

Amide + HCl

#12

Front (Question)

Draw the general structure of a primary amide:

Back (Answer)

#13

Front (Question)

Draw the general structure of a secondary amide:

Back (Answer)

#14

Front (Question)

Draw the general structure of a tertiary amide:

Back (Answer)

#15

Front (Question)

Amino Acids, Amides & Chirality Which type of molecules show optical isomerism?

Back (Answer)

molecules with chiral carbons

#16

Front (Question)

What is a chiral carbon?

Back (Answer)

carbon with 4 different groups attached

#17

Front (Question)

A molecule has 2 chiral carbons. How many optical isomers does it have?

Back (Answer)

4 (1 pair for each chiral carbon)

#18

Front (Question)

Can carbons with a double bond form optical isomers?

Back (Answer)

No because does not have 4 different groups attached

#19

Front (Question)

What is an enantiomer?

Back (Answer)

molecules which are non-superimposable mirror images of each other, AKA optical isomers

#20

Front (Question)

What is a zwitterion?

Back (Answer)

ion with both positive & negative charge

#21

Front (Question)

What is the isoelectric point of an amino acid?

Back (Answer)

pH at which it is present as a zwitterion unique to each type of amino acid

#22

Front (Question)

Describe the state of an amino acid molecule at it’s isoelectric point:

Back (Answer)

H+ from carboxyl accepted by amine group (by forming dative covalent bond :N) amino acid present as zwitterion, due to NH3+ & COO-

#23

Front (Question)

Describe the state of an amino acid above it’s isoelectric point:

Back (Answer)

Lower [H+(aq)], so NH3+ loses H+ ∴ amino acid present as anion due to COO-

#24

Front (Question)

Describe the state of an amino acid below it’s isoelectric point:

Back (Answer)

Greater [H+(aq)], so H+ in solution protonates carboxyl group ∴ amino acid present as cation due to NH3+