Types of metabolic reactions

 Types of metabolic reactions

There are four types of reactions occurring during metabolism of any substance-

·        Oxidation- Reduction

·        Group transfer

·        Rearrangement and isomerization of ions

·        Creation and/or breaking of carbon-carbon bonds

1. Oxidation- Reduction reactions- or Redox is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of substrate change where-

·         Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state of a chemical or atoms within it by addition of O²⁻ ions

·         Reduction is the gain of electrons or a decrease in the oxidation state of a chemical or atoms within it by removal of O²⁻ions or addition of H⁺ ions.

Types- There are two type of Redox reactions-

·         Electron-Transfer- where usually only one electron flows from the reducing agent to the oxidant. This type of Redox reaction is often found in Redox couples and electrode potentials.

·         Atom Transfer- where an atom transfers from one substrate to another. For example, in the rusting of iron, the oxidation state of iron atoms increases as it converts to an oxide and simultaneously the oxidation state of oxygen decreases as it accepts electrons released by iron.

Although oxidation reactions are commonly associated with the formation of oxides, other types of chemical reactions can serve the same function. In hydrogenation, C=C (and other) bonds are reduced by transfer of hydrogen atoms.

2. Group Transfer reactions-A group transfer reaction is a pericyclic process where one or more groups of atoms is transferred from one molecule to another.

3. Rearrangement and isomerization of ions-isomerization or isomerization is the process in which a molecule, ion or molecular fragment is transformed into an isomer with a different chemical structure. When the isomerization happens intra molecularly, it may be called a rearrangement reaction.

4. Creation and/or breaking of carbon-carbon bonds-A carbon–carbon bond is a covalent bond between two carbon atoms, and it may be single, double or triple bond. Carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions are organic reactions in which a new carbon–carbon bond is formed or broken to form new bonds.