Carboxyl group
Carboxyl Group
The Carboxyl Group (pronounced: kar-box-ill group) is a functional group consisting of a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom and single bonded to a hydroxyl group. The general formula for a carboxyl group is -COOH.
Etymology
The term "Carboxyl" is derived from the words "carbon" and "hydroxyl". The suffix "-yl" is a common suffix in organic chemistry, indicating a functional group.
Structure and Properties
The carboxyl group is characterized by the presence of a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom (carbonyl group) and single bonded to a hydroxyl group (-OH). This arrangement leads to certain unique properties, such as the ability to donate a proton (H+), making compounds containing a carboxyl group acidic.
Occurrence and Importance
Carboxyl groups are commonly found in many biological molecules, including amino acids, fatty acids, and nucleic acids. They play a crucial role in numerous biochemical reactions, such as protein synthesis and energy production.
Related Terms
- Carbonyl Group: A functional group composed of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom: C=O.
- Hydroxyl Group: A functional group consisting of a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an oxygen atom: -OH.
- Amino Acids: Organic compounds composed of amine (-NH2) and carboxyl (-COOH) functional groups, along with a side chain specific to each amino acid.
- Fatty Acids: Carboxylic acids with long aliphatic chains, which are either saturated or unsaturated.
- Nucleic Acids: Biopolymers, or large biomolecules, essential to all known forms of life, which include DNA and RNA.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Carboxyl group
- Wikipedia's article - Carboxyl group
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