Four often occurring natural substances have the following summary (empirical) formulas:
(A) C2H5O2N (B) C3H7O2N (C) C3H7O2N (D) C9H11O2N
The given substances when allowed to react with an alkali hydroxide solution yield alkali salts. However, in a neutral or acidic solution the reaction takes place on the nitrogen atom.
1. Write structural formulas for the compounds A, B, C, and D.
2. Which of the given substances are optically active and which ones are inactive?
3. Write the formula of the functional group which is typical of certain natural substances and which is contained also in the product formed by the reaction of two molecules of compound A. Give the name of the natural substances to which belongs the above mentioned product.
4. A cyclic organic compound being of technical importance contains also the functional group mentioned in passage 3.
(a) Write the structural formula of this cyclic compound.
(b) Write the characteristic part of the structural formula of a macromolecular substance that can be obtained from the mentioned compound.
(c) Write the characteristic part of the structural formula of an isomeric macromolecular substance that is also technically important.
(d) Give the name for the group of compounds to which belong the above mentioned macromolecular substances.