Chapter 6 - Stereochemistry
Practice Exercises
Chiral Centers - R & S Designations
Give complete names for the following compounds, including designation
of R or S, where appropriate.
Reaction Stereochemistry
One step in the citric acid cycle (or Krebs cycle) is shown below:
Biochemists usually use the names "fumarate" and "malate"
-- why?
How would you apply the Markovnikov Rule to this reaction?
An organic chemist would carry out this reaction using H2SO4 as catalyst
-- write the reaction mechanism and predict the stereochemistry of the chiral
product.
Mother Nature carries out this reaction using an enzyme (fumarase).
Although you won't know the mechanism, make a prediction about the stereochemistry.
Maleic acid is the cis stereoisomer of fumaric acid.
What would be different in the case of the H2SO4-catalyzed reaction?
What would be different in the enzyme-catalyzed reaction?