Acetone, CH3-(C=O)-CH3 and urea, NH2-(C=))-NH3 have similar chemical structures.
ID: 982992 • Letter: A
Question
Acetone, CH3-(C=O)-CH3 and urea, NH2-(C=))-NH3 have similar chemical structures.
a) Compare the possible intermolecular forces for acetone with those for urea.
b) compare the intermolecular forces between phycocyanin andacetone with those between phycocyanin and warer, Briefly explain how acetone disrupts the folding in phycocanin.
c) Compare the intermolecular forces between phycocyanin and urea with those between phycocyanin and water. Briefly explain how urea disrupts the folding in phycocyanin
Explanation / Answer
a) Both acetone (CH3-CO-CH3) and urea (NH2-CO-NH2) are polar molecules.
Intermolecular Forces in acetone:
- London Dispersion
- Dipole-Dipole Interaction (dominant force)
Intermolecular Forces in Urea:
- London Dispersion
- Dipole-Dipole
- Hydrogen bondong (dominant force)
b) Phycocyanin is a protein made up of several amino acids which have both polar and non-polar side chains. Acetone being a non-polar solvent will interact with the non-polar (hydrophobic) region of the protein causing it to turn inside out thereby distrupting its native structure.
c) Urea will also denature the above protein by directly binding to the amide units via H-bonds.