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Medicines by Design.
Key Words
ACE / Angiotensin-converting enzyme.Acylation / The introduction of an acyl group, RCO-, using an acyl chloride.
Typical of alcohols, amines, ammonia and arenes.
Addition / The addition of atoms or groups of atoms across a double bond.
Typical of alkenes, aldehydes and ketones.
Agonist / Contains the pharmacophore and induces a change in the receptor site. Not produced by the body.
Aldehyde / Has the carbonyl group, C=O, on the end of the carbon chain.
Alkylation / The introduction of an alkyl group, R, using a chloroalkane.
Typical of arenes.
Antagonist / Neither contains the pharmacophore nor induces a change in the receptor site. Not produced by the body.
Carbocation / An organic molecule containing a carbon atom with a + charge.
Intermediates in the electrophilic addition reactions of alkenes.
Chiral centre / A carbon atom with 4 different atoms or groups of atoms attached.
Condensation / A reaction in which two molecules join together and a small molecule such as H2O or HCl is eliminated.
An example is the formation of an ester.
Coupling reaction / The reaction between a diazonium ion and another aromatic compound to form an azo compound, R-N=N-R’
Used to make azo dyes.
Dehydration / A term sometimes used to describe the elimination of a water molecule from an alcohol to form an alkene.
Diazotisation / The formation of a diazonium salt from an aromatic amine.
Drug / · A substance which alters the way the body works.
Electrophile / · Positive ion or molecule with d+
· Attracted to an electron rich centre
Accepts a pair of electrons to make a dative covalent bond.
Electrophilic addition / Typical of alkenes.
Electrophilic substitution / Typical of arenes since delocalisation is retained.
Elimination / The loss of atoms or groups of atoms to produce an unsaturated compound.
Typical of 1ry and 2ry alcohols.
Esterification / A reaction in which an ester is formed from an alcohol and a carboxylic acid.
Fehlings solution / Gives an orange brown precipitate with an aldehyde but not a ketone.
Friedel Crafts acylation / The introduction of an acyl group, RCO-, into a benzene ring.
Named after it’s discoverers.
Friedel Crafts alkylation / The introduction of an alkyl group into a benzene ring.
Named after it’s discoverers.
Gas liquid chromatography (glc) / Used to detect compounds in a mixture and to work out the relative amounts of each.
Hydrogenation / The addition of hydrogen atoms across a C=C.
Hydrolysis / A bond breaking reaction involving water, often catalysed by dilute acid or alkali. Typical of esters, amides and nitriles (R-CN).
Infra red spectroscopy / Used to identify the bonds in a molecule.
Ketones / Have the carbonyl group, C=O, in the middle of the carbon chain.
Lead compound / A compound which provides a lead when starting to design a new medicine.
Mass spectroscopy / Used to identify fragments of a molecule.
Medicine / A drug which has a beneficial effect.
Molecular recognition / When a pharmacophore fits precisely into the receptor and functional groups are correctly positioned to interact.
Neuron / A nerve cell.
Neurotransmitter / Contains pharmacophore and induces change in the receptor site.
Produced by the body.
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (nmr) / Used to identify the number of hydrogen atoms and their environment in a compound.
Nucleophile / · A negative ion or a molecule with a lone pair of electrons
· Attracted to a positive/electron deficient centre
· Donates a pair of electrons to form a dative covalent bond.
Nucleophilic addition / Typical of aldehydes and ketones.
Nucleophilic substitution / Typical of halogenoalkanes.
Oxidation / · Gain of oxygen
· Loss of electrons
· Loss of hydrogen
· Increase in oxidation number
Typical of 1ry alcohols, 2ry alcohols and aldehydes.
Pharmacophore
/ A group of atoms which make a molecule pharmacologically active.Radical / Atom or molecule with an unpaired electron. These are very reactive.
Radical substitution / Typical of alkanes.
Receptor site / A neurotransmitter crosses a synapse and fits into a receptor site.
Reduction / · Loss of oxygen
· Gain of electrons
· Gain of hydrogen
· Decrease in oxidation number
Typical of alkenes, aldehydes and ketones.
Rf value / Can be used to identify spots on a chromatogram.
Rf = distance travelled by spot / distance travelled by solvent.
Synapse / The connection between neurons.
Zwitterion / A particle containing both negatively and positively charged groups. E.g. amino acids in solution.