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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Del on March 09, 2021, 04:17:25 PM

Title: Oxygen being intercheangeble
Post by: Del on March 09, 2021, 04:17:25 PM

When studying biochesmistry in one of Leningher's volumes I often see oxygen anions being interchangeable with OH. Is this something that went over my head during high school years ago, or do negatively charged oxygens really attract a hydrogen?

Title: Re: Oxygen being intercheangeble
Post by: chenbeier on March 09, 2021, 04:58:11 PM

No it attracts water.

O^2- + H₂O => 2 OH^-

Title: Re: Oxygen being intercheangeble
Post by: Babcock_Hall on March 09, 2021, 07:07:44 PM

I am not sure exactly what you mean, but I will take a guess, using palmitic acid and palmitate as an example.  The structure for palmitic acid is CH₃(CH₂)₁₄CO₂H, and the structure for palmitate is CH₃(CH₂)₁₄CO₂^1-.  When I balance biochemical equations, I might write the structure as palmitic acid.  However, if one ever created palmitic acid in a cell, well over 99% would lose a proton and become palmitate.  That is because both the cytoplasm and the bloodstream are buffered.  I can see how this might be confusing when one first encounters it.