The Student Room Group

Chemical structure of oxytocin doesn't make sense?

Look at the Glycine at the beginning, why is the CO connected to an NH2 when it's supposed to be a carboxylic acid? Makes no sense. The structure of glycine is NH2-CH2-COOH not NH2-CO-CH2-NH2
Reply 1
What do you mean it's "supposed" to be a carboxylic acid?

It's just another amide bond.
Reply 2
Original post by alow
What do you mean it's "supposed" to be a carboxylic acid?

It's just another amide bond.


Shouldn't it terminate with a COOH at the end?

The amide bond between Gly and Leu is formed by the NH2 of Gly and the COOH to become NH-CO, so the other end of Gly should terminate with COOH?

The structure of Glycine is NH2-CH2-COOH but the image suggests it's NH2-CO-CH2-NH2 unless there is some other etiquette for terminating a structure with a weird amide bond?
Reply 3
Original post by Allergy
Shouldn't it terminate with a COOH at the end?

The amide bond between Gly and Leu is formed by the NH2 of Gly and the COOH to become NH-CO, so the other end of Gly should terminate with COOH?

The structure of Glycine is NH2-CH2-COOH but the image suggests it's NH2-CO-CH2-NH2 unless there is some other etiquette for terminating a structure with a weird amide bond?


The glycine has formed another amide bond.

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