MCAT Biology : Reactions

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for MCAT Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Reactions With Hydrocarbons

The most stable radical shown below is __________. The least stable radical shown below is __________.

Mcat_6

Possible Answers:

radical D . . . radical A

radical E . . . radical C

radical C . . . radical E

radical D . . . radical E

radical B . . . radical E

Correct answer:

radical C . . . radical E

Explanation:

Radical stability increases as carbon substitution increases. In addition, radicals in conjugation with double bonds via resonance are more stable than the corresponding non-conjugated radical.

In this case radicals B, C, and D are all tertiary radicals, but only radical C has additional stabilization from resonance. Radical C is therefore the most stable. Radical E is the least substituted of the five radicals, and is the least stable.

Example Question #1 : Carbocations

What intermediate is involved in the conversion of compound B to compound C?

Mcat_1

Possible Answers:

Tertiary radical

Secondary radical

Tertiary carbocation

Secondary carbocation

Tertiary carbanion

Correct answer:

Tertiary carbocation

Explanation:

The strong sulfuric acid protonates the hydroxyl group of compound B, resulting in the loss of water as a leaving group and the generation of a carbocation intermediate. Since this carbocation carbon is attached to three other carbons, this is a tertiary carbocation. It is bound to the phenyl substituent, a methyl group, and the branched carbon chain.

Example Question #11 : Reactions

The combustion of pentane with oxygen gas is an exothermic reaction that produces carbon dioxide and water as products. Is this a spontaneous reaction?

Possible Answers:

Yes, only at high temperatures

No, never

Yes, only at low temperatures

Yes, at all temperatures

Correct answer:

Yes, at all temperatures

Explanation:

A balanced equation of the combustion of pentane indicates that one mole of pentane reacts with eight moles of oxygen gas to produce five moles of carbon dioxide and six moles of water.

Because there are nine moles of reactant and eleven moles of product, entropy increases in this reaction. Exothermic reactions that increase entropy are favorable at all temperatures, as seen in the Gibb's free energy equation.

In our scenario, H is negative and S is positive.

Example Question #36 : Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, And Metabolism

Which of the following statements concerning the combustion of cycloalkanes is false?

Possible Answers:

As the number of carbons in the ring increases, the molar heat of combustion increases

Oxygen is necessary in order for a combustion reaction to take place

The molar heat of combustion for cyclooctane is nearly double the molar heat of combustion for cyclobutane

The heat of combustion per  in cyclohexane is greater than the heat of combustion per  in cyclobutane

Correct answer:

The heat of combustion per  in cyclohexane is greater than the heat of combustion per  in cyclobutane

Explanation:

The heat of combustion for cycloalkanes can be quantified based on two factors: the number of carbons in the ring, and the amount of strain in the ring. Cyclohexane does in fact have a larger molar heat of combustion than cyclobutane. This is because there are more carbons in the ring; however, ring stability will determine the heat of combustion per  group in the ring. Even though cyclohexane has more carbons than cyclobutane, the heat of combustion per  group in cyclobutane will be greater compared to cyclohexane due to cyclobutane's ring strain. 

Example Question #3 : Reactions With Hydrocarbons

Benzene

Benzene

 

1_3_5_hex-tri-ene

1,3,5-hexatriene

Which of the compounds shown above will have a greater heat of reduction (hydrogenation)?

Possible Answers:

Benzene

More information is required

The compounds will have the same heat of reduction

1,3,5-hexatriene

Correct answer:

1,3,5-hexatriene

Explanation:

The answer is 1,3,5-hexatriene. Chemicals that are more stable will give off less heat when they are reduced or hydrogenated. Although these two compounds contain the same number of pi bonds to be reduced, benzene is aromatic, and therefore is much more stable than the conjugated non-cyclic hexatriene. We would find that the heat of hydrogenation for hexatriene would be noticeably greater than that of benzene.

Example Question #38 : Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, And Metabolism

Alkenes A through D contain only carbon and hydrogen. They have the following heats of combustion at .

Alkene A:

Alkene B:

Alkene C:

Alkene D:

Rank these four alkenes in terms of their stability, with the least stable compound on the left, and the most stable compound on the right.

Possible Answers:

A < B < C < D

D < C < B < A

D < B < C < A

A < D < B < C

A < C < B < D

Correct answer:

D < B < C < A

Explanation:

A combustion reaction of any hydrocarbon yields the same products: carbon dioxide and water. The heat of combustion for the reaction shows how much energy is released as the hydrocarbon is converted to those products.

Since the products are the same for each alkene, any difference in heat of combustion will arise from differences in energy of the starting alkenes. Since the heat of combustion is negative, that means the reactants are higher in energy than the products, creating an exothermic reaction. Furthermore, the more negative the heat of combustion, the higher in energy the reactants are, and the less stable they are as well. Since compound D has the largest heat of combustion, it is highest in energy and therefore the least stable. By similar reasoning, B is the next highest in energy, followed by C, and then finally A, the most stable compound.

Example Question #5 : Reactions With Hydrocarbons

Which of the following steps of free radical chlorination does not produce a free radical as a product?

Possible Answers:

Initiation

Propagation

Termination

Halogenation

Correct answer:

Termination

Explanation:

The three steps of a free radical chlorination reaction are, in order, initiation, propagation, and termination.

Free radicals are produced in the initiation and propagation steps. The termination steps combine any two free radicals formed in the reaction to produce a compound that has no unpaired electrons (free radicals).

Example Question #1 : Reactions With Hydrocarbons

Consider the following radical bromination reaction of propane.

Which of the following substances would NOT be a suitable radical initiator for this reaction?

Possible Answers:

Diisopropyl ether

tert-butyl peroxide

UV light

 

Mcat11

  Azobisisobutyronitrile (or AIBN)

 

Benzoyl peroxide

Correct answer:

Diisopropyl ether

Explanation:

For any radical reaction, a suitable radical initiator is required. This either involves a chemical that decomposes to produce a radical upon heating, or ultraviolet light. For the former, any peroxide is suitable. AIBN also works, as it extrudes nitrogen upon heating to product a radical.

An ether, by contrast, will not produce a radical upon heating and would therefore not be a suitable radical initiator.

Example Question #1 : Other Reactions

Which of these is a dehydration synthesis reaction?

I.  Formation of a disulfide bond between two cysteine residues

II.  Carboxylation of a carbohydrate 

III.  Formation of an amide bond

IV.  Splitting of dipeptides into amino acids

V.  Addition of hydrogen to an unsaturated fatty acid 

Possible Answers:

V

II

I

IV

III

Correct answer:

III

Explanation:

Condensation reactions remove a small molecule—usually water—to bond two reactant molecules. In amide bonding, the carboxylic (–COOH, acid) portion of one amino acid is juxtaposed to the amide (–NH2, basic) end of a second amino acid. A molecule of water is extracted and the amide bond (–CONH) is formed. This is a variant of the classic statement, "Acid plus base yields salt plus water."

Technically, condensation reactions can remove small molecules other than water, but often the terms "condensation" and "dehydration" are used interchangeably in biochemistry (but not in organic chemistry). Incidentally, two cysteine molecules linked by a disulfide bond is renamed cystine (notice spelling alteration).

Example Question #2 : Other Reactions

Drain cleaners a common household staple, used to open clogged drains in bathtubs and sinks. Human hair is a common culprit that clogs pipes, and hair is made predominately of protein. Drain cleaners are effective at breaking down proteins that have accumulated in plumbing. Drain cleaners can be either acidic or basic, and are also effective at breaking down fats that have accumulated with proteins.

A typical reaction—reaction 1—which would be expected for a drain cleaner on contact with human hair, would be as follows in an aqueous solution:

Pic_1

Another reaction that may occur, reaction 2, would take place as follows in an aqueous solution:

Pic_2

An alcohol reacts with the protein reactant in Reaction 2. Which atom in the protein reactant is likely to be the site of a nucleophilic attack?

Possible Answers:

The carbonyl carbon

The nitrogen

The carbonyl oxygen

Both the carbonyl carbon and the nitrogen

The carbonyl oxygen and the nitrogen

Correct answer:

The carbonyl carbon

Explanation:

Carbonyl carbons bond with a strongly polar bond to the carbonyl oxygen. This strongly polar bond gives the carbon a partial positive charge, and thus makes it receptive to nucleophilic attack by other oxygens (e.g., alcohols).

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