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what molecule does this diagram represent?

I understand that this is an amino acid but can someone please explain why the hexagon has 3 lines in it and what they represent. and also, why doesn't it have the COOH functional group and NH2 functional group like all amino acids should have?
Screenshot 2018-12-29 at 20.15.22.png29.0KB
It does but COOH is deprotonated --> COO- and NH2 is protonated --> NH3+

the cyclic group is 'phenyl' --> 3 double bonds

The amino acid is phenylalanine
Reply 2
Avatar for razzy02
razzy02
OP
8
Original post by Ahmad*
It does but COOH is deprotonated --> COO- and NH2 is protonated --> NH3+

the cyclic group is 'phenyl' --> 3 double bonds

The amino acid is phenylalanine

thank you so much. but why has COOH been deprotonated and NH2 protonated? like why's it like that?
Also, what do you mean it has 3 double bonds? isn't it a glucose molecule?
Original post by razzy02
thank you so much. but why has COOH been deprotonated and NH2 protonated? like why's it like that?
Also, what do you mean it has 3 double bonds? isn't it a glucose molecule?


it is not glucose. Glucose contains oxygen atoms. That molecule is phenylalanine.

3 double bonds means 3 double bonds. If you do not know what a double bond is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_bond

Finally, protination and deprotonation reflects the fact that the NH2 group is basic and the COOH is acidic. Basic means it has the ability to act as a base and accept a proton. Acidic means it has the ability to act as an acid and release a proton
Reply 4
Avatar for Yaqeen2
Yaqeen2
13
Original post by razzy02
I understand that this is an amino acid but can someone please explain why the hexagon has 3 lines in it and what they represent. and also, why doesn't it have the COOH functional group and NH2 functional group like all amino acids should have?

That is a presentation of its zwitterion form, a form which is present at a particular pH in aqueous solution, where the pH causes the protonation of the amino group from the carboxyl group

The three double lines conventionally indicate a double bond. However, in truth, benzene rings are not like this. Some of the electrons are delocalised and resonate within the ring structure, a more accurate representation would be a circle inside the hexagon, depicting the delocalised electrons.

At university and beyond, the rings would be drawn with the double lines, just because it’s a lot easier to draw mechanisms
(edited 5 years ago)

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