Home » Ask & Discuss » Chemistry. » Organic Chemistry « Back to Discussion

Organic Chemistry

Blazing goIITian

Joined:	21 Aug 2008
Post:	380

12 Nov 2009 21:43:52 IST

0 People liked this

590

what is zwitter ion..??????????

None

what is zwitter ion..??????????

Share this article on:

Comments (3)

SHUBHAM SHARMA

Hot goIITian

Joined: 29 Jul 2009

Posts: 173

12 Nov 2009 22:18:36 IST

Like 0 people liked this

A zwitterion (first part pronounced TSVIT-ər, from German "Zwitter" ([ˈtsvɪtɐ]) = hybrid, hermaphrodite) is a chemical compound that carries a total net charge of 0 and is thus electrically neutral, but carries formal charges on different atoms.

Some chemists restrict the term to compounds with the charges on non-adjacent atoms. ^[1] This would exclude compounds such as N-oxidesand ylides, which have a charge on adjacent atoms, specificately, nitrogen and carbon being the cations, respectively. Zwitterions are polarand are usually very water-soluble, but poorly soluble in most organic solvents.

Ampholytes are molecules that contain both acidic and basic groups (and are therefore amphoteric) and will exist mostly as zwitterions in a certain range of pH. The pH at which the average charge is zero is known as the molecule's isoelectric point.

Applications

Ampholytes are used to establish a stable pH gradient for use in isoelectric focusing.

Typical examples of zwitterions are:

Most amino acids at physiological pH are zwitterionic.
Used as buffering agents in Good's buffers:
- The amino-sulfonic acid based MES, MOPS, HEPES, PIPES or CAPS
- The amino-carboxylic acid (amino acid) based glycine, its derivatives bicine and tricine, and alanine
Used as detergents:
- CHAPSO
Natural products like the alkaloids psilocybin and lysergic acid.
Betaines

Less common examples of zwitterions are:

Quinonoid zwitterions.
Drugs such as Fexofenadine (Allegra) and Cephaloridine.
decaphenylferrocene [(η⁵-C₅Ph₅)₂Fe] has been shown to have a zwitterionic linkage isomer [(η⁵-C₅Ph₅)Fe⁺(η⁶-C₆H₅C₅Ph₄⁻)].

PLZZ DO RATE IS SATISFIED.

Bipin Dubey

Forum Expert

Joined: 23 Jan 2007

Posts: 7942

13 Nov 2009 05:49:30 IST

Like 2 people liked this

A zwitter ion is an inner salt of amphoteric compound resulting due to the reaction between acidic and basic groups. Amino acids and proteins constitute both acidic (-COOH ) and alkaline (-NH2) groups, as a result they can form salts with acid and alkali. When dissolved in either acid or alkali, they behave like anions and cations, migrating to either cathod or anode. However, at a definite pH, called isoelectric pH, they form inner salt or zwitter ions, at which they are least soluble and electrically neutral.

KRRISH

Blazing goIITian

Joined: 10 Nov 2008

Posts: 365

13 Nov 2009 18:00:17 IST

Like 0 people liked this

zwitter ion is scientific version of twitter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!jokes apart it the species which has both the charges in same molecule eg. resonating form of amino acid

Quick Reply

Reply

	Some HTML allowed.
	Keep your comments above the belt or risk having them deleted.
	Signup for a avatar to have your pictures show up by your comment
	If Members see a thread that violates the Posting Rules, bring it to the attention of the Moderator Team