Concept explainers
Some Biochemical Reactions of
Alkanes occur naturally in places other than petroleum deposits—in insects, for example. The waxy alkanes dispersed in its cuticle help protect an insect from dehydration. Some insects use volatile alkanes to defend themselves or communicate with others of the same species. Alkanes even serve as starting materials that the insect converts to other biologically important substances.
The major biosynthetic pathway leading to alkanes is by enzyme-catalysed decarboxylation (loss of
Biochemical conversion of alkanes to other substances normally begins with oxidation.
In addition to alkanes, the oxidation of drugs and other substances occurs mainly in the liver and is catalyzed by the enzyme cytochrome
Oxidation by microorganisms has been extensively studied and is often selective for certain kinds of
Female German cockroaches convert the alkane shown to a substance that attracts males.
Oxidation at
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Organic Chemistry - Standalone book
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- Three components of the sex pheromone of the female sand bee (Ophrys sphegodes) are saturated hydrocarbons containing 23, 25, and 27 carbon atoms. How many H atoms does each of these alkanes contain? Interestingly, the early spider orchid emits a similar hydrocarbon mixture to attract male sand bees to pollinate its flowers.arrow_forwardSelect the correct statements about the substitution and elimination reactions of haloalkanes. * A- Substitution occurs at the ?-carbon atom because it has the lowest electron density. B- During elimination, a hydrogen is removed from the ꞵ-carbon because this is the position with the highest acidity in the haloalkane. C- All haloalkanes can undergo at least one elimination reaction. D- Elimination only occurs when the base is very strong. E- Substitution only occurs when the nucleophile is weakly basic.arrow_forwardComplete the equations by choosing the right products in preparation and chemical properties of alkanes. 1. Propane + HOSO3H 2. Butane + HONO2 3. Octane + HONO2 4. CH3CH2CBr3 + Br2 5. C4H8Br2 + Br2arrow_forward
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