Amino Acids

Figure 4-11 Structural formula for glycine, an amino acid.

If a hydrogen atom that is attached to a carbon atom adjacent to a carboxyl group is replaced with −NH₂, (an amino group), the compound becomes an amino acid, as shown in figure 4-11. While this could be called an amino acetic acid, its more common name is glycine. If propionic acid is converted to an amino acid, alanine results (figure 4-12).

Figure 4-12 Alanine results when propionic acid is converted to an amino acid.