intermolecular forces within a heroin molecule

[heffa]

Hey

Could anyone help me out with identifying all the intermolecular forces within a heroin molecule? I’m pretty sure its mainly van der waals but if i could get some clarification on how exactly they are working, what functional groups and ions are causing them

would be a great help

Thankyou very much.

 

here's a heroin molecule (link)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin

[John Cuthber]

They are largely covalent bonds (and I see you know how to find that in WIKI).

[NeonBlack]

It's been a long time since I've studied chemistry but I think some of those naked oxygens might be able to hydrogen bond, which is much stronger than that van der waals interaction.

[heffa]

thx for trying...srry John but covalent bonds are intramolecular not intermolecular. Umm about the H bonds Neon, they would be a lot stronger than van der waals but in order to H bond you need a H connected to an electronegative charged ions (N, O, or F) and although the O's could H bond there is just no H's for them to bond too

thx for trying.

I would really appreciate any further help.

[NeonBlack]

I am just curious why the O's can't go together with these H's. Like I said, I haven't taken chemistry in several years.

[Darkblade48]

Indeed, I believe Neon is correct; the hydrogens attached to the methyl groups should be able to hydrogen bond with the oxygens.

[ecoli]

just because the oxygens are there doesn't mean they'll react that way, at least not intermolecularly. It seems to me that the molecule is probably to big for that, and such an interaction might be sterically and energetically unfavorable. Just think about how the molecule would have to twist in order for this to occur. More probably, these oxygens form hydrogen bonds with neighboring molecules.

[John Cuthber]

OK, sorry I didn't read your post correctly. There are no intermolecular forces in a molecule (heroin or anything else). How can you have forces "between one molecule"? It's like the sound of one hand clapping.

 

If you are talking about the bonding between heroin molecules in a crystal then I think the dipole-dipole interactions will dominate.

[NeonBlack]

More probably, these oxygens form hydrogen bonds with neighboring molecules.

 

Isn't that what intermolecular means?

I thought that's what we were talking about the whole time!

[ecoli]

Isn't that what intermolecular means?

I thought that's what we were talking about the whole time!

 

sorry, I misread the OP. I was thinking intramolecular forces, but for some reason was typing inter. Terribly sorry. Ignore everything I say starting now.

[Revenged]

Hey

Could anyone help me out with identifying all the intermolecular forces within a heroin molecule? I’m pretty sure its mainly van der waals but if i could get some clarification on how exactly they are working, what functional groups and ions are causing them

would be a great help

Thankyou very much.

 

here's a heroin molecule (link)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroin

 

Diamorphine (heroin) works by binding to mu opioid receptors that are found in the central nervous system... These receptors are inhibitory and work by inhibition of neurotransmitter release and hyperpolarisation of post synaptic neruones...

 

And another point... You need to look at the binding BETWEEN heroin and the mu opioid receptor in order to work out it's function... Also absorption, metabolism, excretion are all important...etc...

[heffa]

I am just curious why the O's can't go together with these H's. Like I said, I haven't taken chemistry in several years.

 

yeah sorry about that you are most certainly right they could h bond but like ecoli said the molecule is very big. thankyou for all your help guys...i can concluded that a majority of the intermolecular bonding will be van der waals with quite a bit of dipole too, i will also included that some H bonding is possible (although not a primary force).

it would also be a great help if anyone could give me the esterification reaction of the creation of heroin...I’m unable to find out a straight answer at this stage.

also revenged if you could enlighten me on how the heroin molecule alters to travel around the human body, to be transported by the haemoglobin in the bloodstream it would need to be soluble right? so would it then become diamorphine hydrochloride its salt form? and what this is the difference between Diacetylmorphine and Diacetylmorphine Hydrochloride (in reference to molecular structure) anyone?

 

Thankyou again everyone.

[Revenged]

heroin (diacetylmorphine) is morphine with two acetyl groups attached... these acetyl groups make heroin a lot more lipid soluble, which means that heroin can pass quickly through the blood brain barrier... this is why heroin acts much more quickly than morphine and is why drug users get instant highs with the drug...

 

In the brain, heroin (diacetylmorphine) is metabolised to morphine as the two acetyl groups are lost... and morphine works by binding to inhibitory opioid receptors in the central nervous system...

 

I am not sure how heroin is carried in the blood...

[heffa]

thankyou Revenged. some very useful info there, i'm amazed at how fast heroin works, straight to the brain in under 20 second...

thanks again Revenged.

[Revenged]

no problem...