Question

Which of these could be responsible for chirality in an amino acid?

• A. Alpha carbon
• B. R group
• C. Carboxylic acid group
• D. Amino group

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Alpha carbon

A chiral molecule is non-superposable on its mirror image. The presence of an asymmetric carbon center, (that is a carbon attached to four different groups), as seen in the alpha carbon of most amino acids, is one of several structural features that induce chirality in these molecules. Glycine, the simplest amino acid with a hydrogen atom as the R-group does not have an asymmetric carbon and is achiral.