Structural analog

Structural analog or structural analogue is a compound having a structure similar to that of another one, but differing from it in respect to a certain component. It can result from replacement of one atom with another atom or group of atoms. The concept of structural analogs is important in chemistry and biochemistry.

Etymology

The term "analog" is derived from the Greek word "ανάλογος" (analogos), which means "proportional". In the context of biochemistry, an analog is a compound that resembles another in structure but not necessarily in function.

Types of Structural Analogs

Structural analogs are classified into two types:

• Complete analogs: These are compounds that have the same atoms and the same bond connectivity, but different arrangement of atoms in space.
• Partial analogs: These are compounds that have the same atoms, but different bond connectivity.

Applications

Structural analogs are widely used in medicinal chemistry to design new drugs. By modifying the structure of a known drug, it is possible to create a new compound with improved properties. This approach is known as structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies.

Examples

Some examples of structural analogs include:

• Methamphetamine and Amphetamine: Methamphetamine is a structural analog of amphetamine. The only difference between the two is the presence of a methyl group in methamphetamine.
• Thalidomide and Pomalidomide: Pomalidomide is a structural analog of thalidomide. It has an additional amino group compared to thalidomide.

See also

• Isomer
• Homology (chemistry)
• Bioisostere
• Pharmacophore

References

Structural analog Resources
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