Strecker Synthesis of Alpha Amino Acids

leah4sci.com/a... presents: Strecker Synthesis of Alpha Amino Acids - Reaction Overview and Step by Step Mechanism
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This is video 8 in the MCAT amino acids tutorial video series. Learn the reaction and mechanism for synthesizing alpha amino acids from a starting aldehyde. This video shows you a step by step breakdown of the Strecker Amino Acid Synthesis
Catch this entire video series along with my amino acid cheat sheet, tutorials and practice quiz on my website:
leah4sci.com/a...
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[@mollybowen5889]

finally! Someone that actually explained how we randomly get COOH on the C rather than just putting it there. Thanks!

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

You are very welcome!

[@denveraarav1025]

Instablaster.

[@AG-xq3ut]

please upload more videos. your voice and explanation makes it look very easy. Great job.

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Thanks! Stay tuned for more videos.

[@EtosBolsa]

This is the best video I have seen regarding mechanisms! You are a very good teacher and this was so helpful, thanks a lot!!

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

You're very welcome! I'm glad it helped!

[@moka2103]

2:06 “ask yourself what is happening and is it happening” *cries in the corner *

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Don't cry! Take a deep breath and buckle down to learn it. For more help with this and understanding what is happening and why, I recommend joining the MCAT study hall. Full details: join.mcatstudyhall.com/

[@moka2103]

Leah4sciMCAT I did it I passed

[@ikjotsingh4353]

Best explanation on the web

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Thank you for your kind words

[@CYing21K]

Thank you for making this video! I have never understood a chemical mechanism this well till I watched this video!

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

You're very welcome

[@jessemaretzki8002]

Great explanation! My textbook doesn't include the Strecker synthesis mechanism. Though simple, it was very well explained here! Thanks.

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Glad you are able to understand the topic much better. Don't forget to subscribe! :)

[@Jon-ig2sp]

Seriously you are very very good at explaining, been following you for some years now...But please upload more videos especially on the other channel about orgo 2 mechanisms :)

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Keep checking back, I add new videos whenever I have a chance!

[@abdulrashidabubakar3673]

very nice helpful i love you Leah

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

thank you

[@justinlee7039]

Hi! Around 9:00 into this video, why won’t H2O do nucleophilic attack into the imine on the right (where N has positive charge with 4 bonds total)? Why does O in OH group have to form double bond with the carbon and kick out C-N pi bond to the nitrogen for H2O to then attack the carbonyl Carbon? Is it because C=O+ makes electrophilic carbon more electrophilic than C=N+?? Thank you!

[@jocequiroz8556]

Best explanation! Thank you so much! I’m very happy cause I’m a Spanish speaker but I could understand all the video! ✨ you’re amazing!

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

I'm so glad you could understand it and that it helped you!

[@Funvideos345]

what about with a ketone

[@jihye1582]

Very helpful! You're one of the best.

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

yay! thank you!

[@chrisnmai7744]

Great explanation -- thank you so much!

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

You're very welcome

[@dushanthawijayaratne7595]

Can we synthesize the amino acid Lysine using strecker synthesis?

[@mahakhan9762]

yeah just use the lysine side group

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

yes

[@tanvitewari3576]

Hey! Nice explanation. But I have a QUESTIONJ: the last product - the main compound. Is it a racemic compound or one of D or L? If racemic, then can the distribution of D/L is some standard? If so, that what the standard is?

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Thanks for watching and asking! The Strecker synthesis produces a racemic mixture of alpha amino acids. By definition, a racemic mixture is one that has exactly equal amounts of both enantiomers (50% D, 50% L).

[@priyachoudhary5698]

At 11:03 you mention how the oxygen makes a bond with the carbon to form a carbonyl carbon, but why would oxygen, as a very electronegative atom, do that? P.S. Love your videos!!

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

As you said, oxygen is electronegative (nucleophile) and will seek out the partially positive carbon (electrophile) to attack. I cover this in detail in my orgo videos on carbonyl reactions

[@dimitrifuzio8245]

do you know how to prepare proline usinf this strecker method?

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Thanks for asking! To synthesize an amino acid by the Strecker synthesis, we substitute its given side chain on the starting aldehyde. However, since proline is a cyclic amino acid, a Strecker synthesis of proline would be a little more complicated. For help with questions like this and more, I recommend joining the MCAT Study Hall at join.mcatstudyhall.com/ .

[@kagwasimon7887]

Nice products

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Thank you

[@ritwikmandal1928]

can u explain reaction of fluorescamine with amino acid?

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Let's keep comments relevant to the specific video in question

[@michaelsohnen6526]

My professor takes off points if you write internal proton transfer. You need to show the acid or water molecule involved

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Sure, individual professors may have preferences in how they want their students to represent mechanistic steps. Some professors acknowledge internal proton transfers, while others may not.

[@fakharulislam2914]

Thanks alot

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

You're welcome!

[@souviksarkar4802]

how to systhesis D-alanine by strecker method

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Thanks for asking! To synthesize any given amino acid, simply substitute its side chain on the starting aldehyde of the Strecker synthesis. Since alanine has a methyl group for its side chain, that would mean starting with acetaldehyde. In this video, I elaborate on the traditional method of the Strecker synthesis which produces a racemic product mixture. Certain asymmetric syntheses (which I do not cover here) can produce a desired chiral product.

[@thevegancoolie]

Does Strecker Synthesis occur in the human body?

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

No, the Strecker synthesis is a non-biological method for producing amino acids. It does not occur in the human body.

[@nadeezaman1800]

Why is the carbonyl carbon an alpha carbon here? 2:24

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

When I say “if the carbonyl carbon is the alpha”, what I mean is that the aldehyde will react to form the future alpha carbon of the amino acid. It’s not that it’s an alpha carbon at that point in the synthesis, but it will eventually become one.

[@MandharajukumarMandha]

😊

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

Thanks for watching!

[@कृष्ण19]

Nice explanation mam Thank you so much 17BNM1074

[@Leah4sciMCAT]

yvw