Question

Identify the drug molecule from the skeletal structure shown below.

• A. Opioid
• B. Cannabinoid
• C. Coca-alkaloids
• D. Morphine

Hint:

Memorize the visual shapes from the textbook: Morphine (complex, multi-ring with Nitrogen), Cannabinoid (two main rings, one with -OH, and a long tail), and Cocaine (tropane skeleton).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept: Different classes of drugs have distinct chemical structures that determine their pharmacological effects and are often tested visually in biology exams.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach: Identify the key functional groups and ring structures in the provided image to match it with standard drug classes.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation: The given skeletal structure features a substituted dibenzopyran framework.
Specifically, it contains a phenolic ring with an OH group and an aliphatic (pentyl) side chain.
This is the characteristic skeletal structure of a cannabinoid molecule, typically representing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or its derivatives, obtained from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa.
Opioids (like morphine) have a much more complex multi-ring structure with a distinctive tertiary nitrogen atom.
Coca-alkaloids (like cocaine) have a distinct bicyclic tropane ring structure.
Therefore, the given structure uniquely identifies as a cannabinoid.
Step 4: Final Answer: The correct option is (2).