CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY (1S-F)
cod. 14189

Academic year 2007/08
1° year of course - First semester
Professor
Academic discipline
Biochimica (BIO/10)
Field
Valore totale se dato disaggregato non disponibile
Type of training activity
More
10 hours
of face-to-face activities
1 credits
hub: -
course unit
in - - -

Integrated course unit module: CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY (ATT)

Learning objectives

<br />The general objective of the course is to provide the students with:<br />- the fundamental concepts of chemistry to better understand the properties of matter, starting from the structure of atoms and molecules;<br />- useful basis for understanding, at a molecular level, the complex chemical processes inside the cell and in the metabolic pathways.<br />In particular, the aim is to bring the students into the knowledge and understanding of:<br />- the principles that regulate the compounds reactivity;<br />- bonds breaking or formation and the related energy exchange;<br />- the electron transfer;<br />- the kinetics of chemical reactions and the dynamic chemical equilibrium;<br />- the structure and properties of inorganic and organic compounds as well as of biological macromolecules; <br />- the properties of solutions and the equilibria in aqueous solutions;<br />- the properties of acids, bases, salts and buffers. <br />The chemistry of organic compounds and of biological macromolecules is described in a proper way to better undertand the physiological and biochemical processes.

Prerequisites

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Course unit content

<br />GENERAL AND INORGANIC CHEMISTRY<br /><br />Introduction and atomic structure<br />Properties of matter. Elements and compounds. Sub-atomic particles. Atomic number, mass number, isotopes. Atomic and molecular weight, gram atom, gram molecule. Atomic structure; atomic orbitals and quantum numbers. Electronic configuration of the elements.<br /><br />Periodic trends in the chemical properties of the elements<br />Periodic table. Periodic properties of the elements: atomic size, ionization energy, electron affinity, electronegativity. Electronic structure and chemical properties. <br /><br />Chemical bonding<br />Ionic bond; covalent bond (pure, polar, dative) and molecular orbitals. Intermolecular bonding: dipole-dipole interactions, hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces.<br /><br />Inorganic chemical compounds<br />Hydrurs, binary acids, oxides and anhydrides, peroxides, hydroxides, acids, neutral and acidic salts: formation reactions, reaction balancing, nomenclature, structural formulas.<br /><br />Chemical kinetics<br />Rates of chemical reactions, rate laws. The factors that affect chemical reaction rate: chemical nature of the reactants, concentration of the reactants (order of a reaction), temperature and catalysts. Molecular collision theory and transition state theory.<br /><br />Chemical equilibria<br />Chemical equilibrium is a dynamic process. The general expression of the equilibrium constant. Factors that affect the chemical equilibrium: variations of concentration, volume, pressure, temperature. Le Chatelier’s principle.<br /><br />Chemical thermodynamics<br />First principle of thermodynamics, the concept of enthalpy. Second principle of thermodynamics, the concept of entropy. Third law of thermodynamics. Free energy and spontaneity of chemical reactions; free energy and equilibrium constant.<br /><br />Solutions<br />Concentrations units: percent fraction w/w and w/v, molarity, molality, normality.<br />Colligative properties of solutions: boiling point elevation, freezing point depression; origin and significance of the osmotic pressure, van’t Hoff factor and osmolarity.<br />Acids and bases: Arrhenius theory, Bronsted and Lowry theory, Lewis theory. Acid-base equilibria. Strong acids and bases, weak acids and bases.<br />Water ionization. Concept of pH. Calculating the pH of acid and base (strong and weak) solutions. Hydrolysis of salts in water. Buffer solutions: properties and pH calculation.<br />Acid-base titrations.<br /><br />Stoichiometry<br />Stoichiometric calculations. Balancing chemical equations. Oxidation state and oxidation number; balancing ox-red reactions. Chemistry exercises: concentrations of solutions, pH calculation of aqueous solutions containing different compounds, colligative properties.<br /><br />ORGANIC CHEMISTRY<br /><br />Introduction<br />Hybrid orbitals of carbon. Molecular and structural formulas. Types of reaction: substitution, addition, elimination. Electrophiles and nucleophiles reagents. Functional groups.<br /><br />Hydrocarbons<br />Hydrocarbons classification. Alkanes: nomenclature, physical properties and characteristic reactions. Structural isomerism. Cycloalkanes: structure and nomenclature. Alkenes and alkynes: nomenclature, physical properties and characteristic reactions.<br />Benzene: concept of aromaticity and properties. Benzene reactivity and most important substitution reactions. Substituents effect on reactivity and orientation.<br /><br />Alcohols and phenols<br />Structure, classification and nomenclature. Physical and chemical properties; the acid-base behaviour. Characteristic reactions. Formation of ethers.<br /><br />Aldehydes and ketones<br />Structure and nomenclature. Physical properties. Characteristic reactions and their mechanism: addition of water, alcohols, amine; aldol condensation.<br /><br />Carboxylic acids and related carbonyl derivatives<br />Carboxylic acids: structure and nomenclature. Physical properties and acidity of carboxylic acids as a function of substituents. Characteristic reactions and mechanism of the preparation of esters.<br />Esters: nomenclature and properties; mechanism of the ester basic hydrolysis (saponification).<br />Anhydrides, amides and acid halides: structure, nomenclature and most important properties.<br /><br />Amines<br />Structure, classification and nomenclature. Physical properties. Basicity of amines. Characteristic reactions. Aniline: structure and properties.<br /><br />Stereoisomerism and optical activity<br />Fundamental concepts of molecular symmetry and asymmetry. Chirality: enantiomers and optical activity; diastereoisomers. Compounds with two or more chiral centers.<br /><br />PROPAEDEUTIC BIOCHEMISTRY<br /><br />Carbohydrates<br />Classification and nomenclature. Optical isomerism of carbohydrates. Structure, properties and function of the most important monosaccharides, disaccharides and polisaccharides.<br /><br />Lipids<br />Fatty acids, triglycerides, saponification. Phospholipids and cerebrosides: structure and properties. Structural organization of lipids in water: micelles and lipid bilayers. Biological membranes: structure and function. Terpenes. Steroids: cholesterol and derivatives.<br /><br />Amino acids and proteins<br />The 20 amino acids that occur in proteins: classification, structure and names. Acid-base behaviour of amino acids; isoelectric point. Peptide bond. The different levels of protein structure: primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary.<br /><br />Nucleic acids<br />The sugar and the base components of nucleosides and nucleotides. Structure and nomenclature of nucleosides and nucleotides. Polynucleotides: structure and fundamental properties of RNA and DNA.

Full programme

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Bibliography

<br />Mario Anastasia<br />Chimica di base per le scienze della vita<br />Antonio Delfino Editore<br />(2 volumi: Chimica generale e Chimica organica)<br /> <br /> <br />A. Albertini, M. Avitabile, U. Benatti, V. Boido, F. Guerrieri, G. Liut, L. Masotti, A. Spisni<br />Chimica Generale<br />Monduzzi Editore<br /> <br />Harold Hart, Leslie E. Craine, David. J. Hart<br />Chimica Organica<br />Zanichelli Editore

Teaching methods

<br />Frontal lectures.<br />Written exam followed by oral test.<br /> 

Assessment methods and criteria

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Other information

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