Topic 14 - Specific Enzyme Mechanisms

ORGANIC REACTIONS Enzyme reactions are in general simple reactions which you might encounter in organic chemistry. Quite often the cell has a need to break a C-C bond, a C-N bond, or a C-O bond. Or maybe the cell would like to transfer one functional group from one compound to the next. Or maybe make a long chain polymer for storage purposes, or for structural purposes. All of these reactions and more can be carried out by enzymes. Four types of organic reactions are commonly carried out by enzymes. These are: 1. Displacement (or substitution) reactions 2. Addition reactions 3. Elimination reactions 4. Rearrangements 1. Displacement reactions can be either nucleophilic or electrophilic. A reaction is electrophilic when the attacking group is an electrophile that is, is attracted to electrons. Electrophilic substitution reactions often involve the displacement of hydrogen. For example: