Which of the following is true regarding the $\alpha$-carbon of an amino acid?
A)there are always four different functional groups attached
B)the most commonly occurring form of amino acids are the D-amino acids
C)when assigning the R-S stereochemistry, the carboxylic acid is always the highest priority functional group
D)for all amino acids except glycine, the $\alpha$-carbon is a stereocenter
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The F1F1F1S1F1F1F10-carbon of all amino acids except glycine is a chiral or stereocenter, meaning it has four different groups attached to it. This allows for the possibility of optical isomers or enantiomers. When assigning R-S stereochemistry, the carboxylic acid group should be prioritized last. Option A is incorrect because not all functional groups attached to the F1F1F1S1F1F1F10-carbon are always different. Option B is incorrect because the most commonly occurring form of amino acids are the L-amino acids, not the D-amino acids. Option C is incorrect because the carboxylic acid group should be prioritized last, not first.

Which of the Following Is True Regarding The α\alphaα -Carbon of an Amino Acid? A)there Are Always Four Different

Which of the Following Is True Regarding The $\alpha$ -Carbon of an Amino Acid?
A)there Are Always Four Different