Behaviour of biomolecules Lecture notes: Oxidation and Reduction

BIOL1021: Behaviour of Biomolecules
Dr. Ramon Rios:




Behaviour of Biomolecules
1
Lecture 9: Radical Reactions

,Oxidation and reduction
Oxidation is formally defined as loss of electrons
Reduction is formally defined as gain of electrons

(aid to memory: OIL RIG – Oxidation is loss, reduction is gain)

Making bonds with an electronegative atom, such as oxygen loses a
carbon atom electrons
Breaking bonds with an electronegative atom, such as oxygen, and
forming bonds with an electropositive element such as hydrogen,
gains a carbon atom electrons



OH O
Oxidation

Reduction
H

secondary alcohol ketone

, Revision last Lecture
Oxidation is formally defined as loss of electrons
OH O
Oxidation
Reduction is formally defined as gain of electrons
Reduction
H
(aid to memory: OILRIG – Oxidation is loss, reduction
secondary alcohol ketone is gain)

Reduction of carbonyl containing ketones, esters, and aldehydes:

H
O H
O O
first reaction: second reaction:
H
NaBH4 HCl
B H H H
H H

Thiol/disulfide redox chemistry is important in protein structure

Redox chemistry is important in the generation of hangovers
You are expected to:
Know about the oxidation level of carbon

Understand hydrogenation and hydride reduction
From a given substrate, you need to be able to write the reduction/oxidation
product.