Macromolecules

[twenty10]

Hello,

I have too draw structural diagrams on biomolecuels in their reaction stages. For examples a hexose (glucose) and a pentose (fructose) forming a disaccharide (sucrose). One of my questions says "ethanol" and I am not sure what to draw. I searched online and I just saw ethanol reacting with other things. would the structural diagram be ethene reacting with steam? I found this:

CH2=CH2(g) + H2O -> CH#CH2OH(g)

Thanks!

[blcr11]

That would be a chemical reaction of ethene with water (usually an acid-catalyzed reaction), but the final product is CH3CH2OH.

This is not a typical biochemical reaction involving ethanol, though. More typical would be the ADH-catalyzed reduction of acetaldehyde to ethanol with NAD as a required co-factor. (ADH = alcohol dehydrogenase)

Should also point out that the chemical reaction you've listed is OK, but it is really an equilibrium. Once you accumulate an amount of ethanol, you will start to see the reverse reaction: acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of an alcohol to generate an alkene.

[blcr11]

That should be NADH as a required cofactor for the reduction. NAD would be used for the reverse reaction (ethanol oxidation to acetaldehyde).