I guess to start with, let’s say we’re making diamond. We’re building up a block of the stuff from carbon, and the dangling bonds on the edge of the structure connect to hydrogens. My first though would be a condensation reaction: We stick a methanediol onto the structure, replacing two dangling hydrogens with bonds to a new carbon atom. Two molecules of water are produced, made from the hydroxyl groups and those two hydrogens.
I think existing proteins can do condensation reactions okay, but maybe those become impossible when the carbon you’re trying to attach to is already bonded to three other carbons?
Condensation reactions are only possible in certain circumstances. Maybe read about the mechanism of aldol condensation and get back to me. Also, methanediol is in equilibrium with formaldehyde in water.
I realize you don’t know my background, but if you want to say I’m wrong about something chemistry-related, you’ll have to put in a little more effort than that.
Condensation reactions are only possible in certain circumstances. Maybe read about the mechanism of aldol condensation and get back to me. Also, methanediol is in equilibrium with formaldehyde in water.
I realize you don’t know my background, but if you want to say I’m wrong about something chemistry-related, you’ll have to put in a little more effort than that.