Question

What form is the amino acid in that is produced from Strecker synthesis?

a) L-Form
b) D-Form
c) Racemic mixture
d) Zwitterionic form

Answer 1

The amino acid produced from Strecker synthesis is in a racemic mixture containing both D- and L-forms in equal proportions.

Step-by-step explanation:

Strecker synthesis results in the formation of an amino acid that is a racemic mixture, meaning that it contains both enantiomers, the D-form and the L-form, in equal proportions. This occurs because the synthesis does not inherently distinguish between the two chiral forms, and thus creates both. While in nature, proteins are predominantly made of the L-form of amino acids, Strecker synthesis does not have this selectivity and hence produces a 1:1 mixture of both the D- and L- forms of the amino acid. It should be mentioned that although both D- and L- forms are produced, they are not in their zwitterionic form during the synthesis but can exist in such a form at physiological pH.