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Difference between ammonium and amino group
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Sabrina_5297
#1 Posted : Saturday, May 08, 2021 4:24:08 PM
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In our Chemistry Lecture 1 it states that ammonium is NH4+, and in our BioBiochem Lecture 1 the NH3+ group in an amino acid is called an amino group.

Why are these molecules so different when their makeup is so similar? Is it because the NH3+ in the amino acid is bonded to a carbon, and the ammonium molecule isn't bonded to a carbon?
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Youssef_6546
#2 Posted : Sunday, May 09, 2021 12:34:49 AM
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Hi Sabrina,

Interesting question. From what I understand, NH4+ (ammonium) is an ion, cation to be exact, and forms ionic compounds with anions (e.g. Cl-, to make ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)). On the other hand, NH3+ (amino group) is a functional group like COO- (carboxyl). Functional groups are usually connected to a carbon to make an organic structure. I hope this helps!
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Anjali_5681
#3 Posted : Friday, May 14, 2021 4:25:09 PM
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Thanks for the peer assist, Youssef!

This is one of those nomenclature things. Ammonium is NH4+, and it stands alone as a cation, capable of binding to anions (as Youssef mentioned). Amino however, refers to an amino group within a compound. Amino refers to the R-NH2 and R-NH3+ group (with R being any group) that we can find in ie. amino acids.

NH3 on its own is ammonia. In organic compounds, amines refers to anything with a nitrogen, essentially (can be primary, secondary, tertiary).

Hope that helps! :)
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