Question

the diagram shows the structure of valine, an amino acid. jan is researching a procedure to synthesize valine from glucose and other compounds. the procedure involves several chemical reactions. most likely, one of the reactions will accomplish which of these tasks? (b) adding oxygen atoms to a 6 - carbon sugar (a) removing sulfur atoms from a 6 - carbon sugar (d) removing a carboxyl group (-cooh) from a carbon compound (c) adding an amino group (-nh2) to a carbon compound (e) adding double bonds between two carbon atoms

Explanation:

Amino acids have an amino group (-NH₂). Glucose is a carbohydrate (carbon - based compound) which does not have an amino group. To synthesize an amino acid (valine) from glucose (a carbon - based compound), one of the steps would likely involve adding an amino group (-NH₂) to a carbon compound.

• Option A: Glucose (a 6 - carbon sugar) does not have sulfur atoms, so removing sulfur atoms is not relevant.
• Option B: Glucose already has a significant number of oxygen atoms. Adding more oxygen atoms is not the key step to form an amino acid from glucose.
• Option D: Removing a carboxyl group (-COOH) would not help in forming an amino acid. Amino acids have a carboxyl group.
• Option E: Adding double bonds between carbon atoms is not the characteristic reaction for synthesizing an amino acid from glucose.

Answer:

C. adding an amino group (-NH2) to a carbon compound