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Topic: difference between carbonyl and alpha-carbonyl?  (Read 4218 times)

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Offline lespaul

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difference between carbonyl and alpha-carbonyl?
« on: December 15, 2007, 05:50:07 PM »
Hi All,

Im a biologist and have a quick question:

Whats the difference between a carbonyl (C=O) and a alpa-carbonyl?

I assume it has something to do with position, but not sure. If anyone have a pictures thay can send me, it would be best. Thanks

Jim

Offline Yggdrasil

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Re: difference between carbonyl and alpha-carbonyl?
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2007, 06:54:32 PM »
Do you mean carbonyl and alpha carbon?  The alpha carbon is just a carbon atom that is directly adjacent to a carbonyl carbon (see picture). Similarly, an beta carbon is one carbon away from a carbonyl carbon, a gamma carbon is two carbons away from a carbonyl carbon, etc.  Also useful to know is that an alpha amino group is directly attached to an alpha carbon, a beta amino group is directly attached to a beta carbon, etc.

Offline Nick.Sparrow

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Re: difference between carbonyl and alpha-carbonyl?
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2007, 01:31:01 PM »
I think you are missunderstanding a simple thing. Alpha-carbonyl is a carbonyl group in alpha-position to something..., e.g. carboxilic group (see the post from Yggdrasil)

Example

butyric acid                                  CH3CH2CH2COOH
alpha-carbonyl butyric acid             CH3CH2COCOOH
betta-carbonyl butyric acid             CH3COCH2COOH

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