Esterification & Aminoacides

[Hendrick Laursen]

Hello

My Harper's Writes:

Each functional group of an amino acid exhibits all of its characteristic chemical reactions. For carboxylic acid groups, these reactions include the formation of esters, amides, and acidanhydrides; for amino groups, acylation, amidation, and esterification; and for —OH and —SH groups, oxidation, and esterification. The most important reaction of amino acids is the
formation of a peptide bond (shaded).

Regarding the classic "Fischer Esterification", the process requires either a molecule containing —OH (Typically an alcohol) and a —CO₂H. (Carboxilic Acid)

Why Harper claims esterification can be related to Amino part, while it(—NH₂) has neither —OH nor —CO₂H?

Thanks

Hendrick Laursen

[BioWizard]

Well, esterification of an amine group gives you an amide.

[Hendrick Laursen]

Thanks Mr. Biowizard. Your helps are always of great value.

As I'm completely novice in this particular area of Biochemistry, I'll beg you to provide me with Book/URL which could help me understand the matter more.

Lots of Regards

[BioWizard]

This is the same as any reaction between an amine group and a carboxylic group to give you an amide (peptide) bond. Some may refer to it as "esterification" because you have a nucleophile reacting with a carboxylic group and resulting in the elimination of a water molecule.

And when this happens between a sulfhydril group and a carboxylic group, you get a thioester.

[Hendrick Laursen]

Got it now, thanks.