Question

Zwitterions?

Answer 1

Molecule with +ve and -ve charge at different locations on a molecule.

Answer 2

how is this stable?

Answer 3

Its stable, the charges cancel out each other, this happens pretty often for amino acids

Answer 4

why dosent the electron move toward the exposed proton ?

Answer 5

does it have something to do with electron shells filling up?

Answer 6

so the RHS is favoured because it is a lower energy state right?

Answer 7

It depends on the Ka and Kb value for proton transfer, it doesn't mean it will always work

Answer 8

Normally, amino acids in solution of water are required to induce zwitterion formation in a given amino acid molecule.
First reaction:
\[H_2NCH_2CO_2H + H_2O \leftarrow \rightarrow H_2NCH_2COO^- + H_3O^+\]
Second reaction:
\[H_2NCH_2CO_2H + H_2O \leftarrow \rightarrow ^+H_3NCH_2COOH +OH^-\]
Overall reaction:
\[H_2NCH_2CO_2H \leftarrow \rightarrow ^+H_3NCH_2COO^- \]

You can also say that water plays an important role in inducing zwitterion formation.
But the yield depends on equilibrium constant K, and amount of water, large K value means the forward direction is favored.

Answer 9

is it a dipole also