Which is the correct base structure of Penicillin?

  • Context: Medical 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Adam_h
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Base Structure
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies the structural differences between two representations of penicillin. Diagram number one lacks an essential oxygen double bond adjacent to the R group, while diagram number two accurately depicts the beta-lactam core structure of penicillin. The first diagram may represent a variant of penicillin, but it does not conform to the standard structure recognized in multiple sources. The correct base structure of penicillin is confirmed to include the double bond O next to the R attachment, as detailed in the provided references.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of organic chemistry, specifically beta-lactam antibiotics.
  • Familiarity with chemical structure notation and representation.
  • Knowledge of the significance of R groups in molecular structures.
  • Access to reliable biochemical resources for verification of chemical structures.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the structural variations of beta-lactam antibiotics.
  • Study the role of R groups in antibiotic efficacy and structure.
  • Examine the synthesis and modification of penicillin derivatives.
  • Explore resources on organic chemistry to deepen understanding of molecular structures.
USEFUL FOR

Chemistry students, pharmaceutical researchers, and professionals involved in antibiotic development will benefit from this discussion, particularly those focused on penicillin and its structural variations.

Adam_h
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Hi, I have done quite a bit of looking about and I'm aware that there are many forms of penicillin...
While looking at the base structure of penicillin i have found two different kinds... At a guess i'd say one is synthetic and one is natural form?

Could someone possibly clear this up for me? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Here are the two pictures of the chem structures, i need to know which is the main base for Pen...

Number 1 -
penicillin.1.jpg


Number 2 -
250px-Penicillin-core.png
 
Biology news on Phys.org
Adam_h;2825659 Could someone possibly clear this up for me? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Here are the two pictures of the chem structures said:
135649[/ATTACH]

Number 2 -
250px-Penicillin-core.png

The second shows the proper relation (according to my source) of the R group to the lactam ring but otherwise lacks the detail of the first. .
 

Attachments

  • penicillin.1.jpg
    penicillin.1.jpg
    8.5 KB · Views: 326
Last edited:
Hi, thanks for your reply...
So in theory they are both correct, just another way of showing the same thing?

Adam
 
Adam_h said:
Hi, thanks for your reply...
So in theory they are both correct, just another way of showing the same thing?

Adam

No. I edited by last post. The second one is correct according to several sources. The first lacks an oxygen double bond just after the R group attachment.

http://www.worldofmolecules.com/drugs/penicillin.htm

Always check what is actually posted rather than what shows in your email. It seems that the first diagram is defining the R group a bit differently, but not all R groups have the -CONH- chain.

http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/research/groups/jdeacon/microbes/penicill.htm
 
Last edited:
Hi, I did actually check on the forum... No worries though.

So it still is number 1 still penicillin? just part of another strand of penicillin?

Thanks again
Adam
 
Adam_h said:
Hi, I did actually check on the forum... No worries though.

So it still is number 1 still penicillin? just part of another strand of penicillin?

Thanks again
Adam

Diagram number one has the core beta lactam structure according to my second link. However, most diagrams of PCN include the double bond O next to the R attachment (see link one). If you remove the R-O-, and substitute a hydrogen you get penicillanic acid.
 

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
2K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
4K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
4K
Replies
1
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
608
  • · Replies 50 ·
2
Replies
50
Views
4K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
4K