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21.8: Chemistry of Thioesters and Acyl Phosphates - Biological Carboxylic Acid Derivatives

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    448786
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    As mentioned in the chapter introduction, the substrate for a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction in living organisms is generally either a thioester (RCOSR′) or an acyl phosphate (RCO2PO32 or RCO2PO3R′). Neither is as reactive as an acid chloride or acid anhydride, yet both are stable enough to exist in living organisms while still reactive enough to undergo acyl substitution.

    Acyl CoA’s, such as acetyl CoA, are the most common thioesters in nature. Coenzyme A, abbreviated CoA, is a thiol formed by a phosphoric anhydride linkage ( \(\ce{O═P–O–P═O}\)) between phosphopantetheine and adenosine 3′,5′-bisphosphate. (The prefix bis- means “two” and indicates that adenosine 3′,5′-bisphosphate has two phosphate groups, one on C3′ and one on C5′.) Reaction of coenzyme A with an acyl phosphate or acyl adenylate gives acyl CoA (Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\)). As we saw in Section 21.3, formation of the acyl adenylate occurs by reaction of a carboxylic acid with ATP and is itself a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction that takes place on phosphorus.

    The reaction shows the conversion of coenzyme A to acetyl coenzyme A on reaction with acetyl adenylate. The product is a thioester with C O S linkage.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Formation of the thioester acetyl CoA by nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction of coenzyme A (CoA) with acetyl adenylate.

    Once formed, an acyl CoA is a substrate for further nucleophilic acyl substitution reactions. For example, N-acetylglucosamine, a component of cartilage and other connective tissues, is synthesized by an aminolysis reaction between glucosamine and acetyl CoA.

    The reaction shows the conversion of glucosamine (amine) to N-acetylglucosamine (amide) and a product with the structure H S C o A on reaction with methyl coenzyme A.

    Another example of a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction on a thioester—this one a substitution by hydride ion to effect the partial reduction of a thioester to an aldehyde—occurs in the biosynthesis of mevaldehyde, an intermediate in terpenoid synthesis, which we’ll discuss in some detail in Section 27.5. In this reaction, (3S)-3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA is reduced by hydride donation from NADPH.

    An illustration shows a reaction in which Coenzyme A (CoA) reacts with Acetyl adenylate to yield Acetyl CoA. Coenzyme A (CoA) shows the structure of Phosphopantetheine combined with Adenosine 3 5 -bisphosphate. Phosphopantetheine shows green SH bonded to a chain of two methylene groups bonded to a nitrogen monohydride that is bonded to a chain of two methylene groups bonded to a nitrogen monohydride bonded to a carbonyl group that is bonded to a methine group bonded to a hydroxyl group at the bottom and a carbon on the right. The carbon is bonded to two methyl groups and a methylene group bonded to a phosphate group. The phosphorus is bonded to another phosphorus of Adenosine 3 5 -bisphosphate highlighted in blue. The phosphate group is bonded to a methylene group bonded to a cyclohexane that shows an oxygen. The ring is bonded to a phosphate group hydroxyl group and a cyclopentene ring that shows two double bonds and two nitrogen atoms. The cyclopentene is fused to a cyclohexene with two double bonds and two nitrogen atoms. The cyclohexene is bonded to an amino group. The carbonyl oxygen atoms are highlighted in pink.
    Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

    Write the mechanism of the reaction shown in Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\) between coenzyme A and acetyl adenylate to give acetyl CoA.

    Answer

    The reaction shows the mechanism for the reaction of an ester attached to adenosine and a thiol forming acetyl coenzyme A, and a product in which a phosphate group is bonded to adenosine.


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