Question

1. For this discussion, you are asked to examine the structure of DNA from your textbook.
2. Using your knowledge or the material covered in Weeks 1 – 12, your general knowledge of organic chemistry I, your textbooks and the Internet to answer the following questions regarding the DNA molecule.

a. Label and give the name for the major functional groups in the DNA molecule?
b. Functional groups are sites where chemical reactions take place. Using your knowledge of basic organic reactions, think about some possible reactions (e.g. SN2, E1, E2, SN1, etc.) that can occur at each of the functional groups in the DNA molecule?
c. Label the functional groups in the DNA molecule as hydrophobic or hydrophilic? Is the overall DNA molecule generally classified as hydrophobic or hydrophilic? Explain your prediction.
d. Discuss the type of bonding (e.g. ionic, covalent, coordinate covalent, hydrogen bonding, polar covalent, non-polar covalent, etc.) at each functional group within the DNA molecule
e. Label the hybridization (e.g. sp3, sp2, sp, etc.) for the central atom within each functional group in the DNA molecule?
f. Label the bond angle around the central atom in each major functional group within the DNA molecule?
g. Label the geometry of each central atom for each central atom in each functional group in the DNA molecule.
h. Label the major sites in the functional groups in the DNA molecule as acidic, basic or neutral and then label them as nucleophilic, electrophilic sites as well.

Answer 1