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A LevelChemistryEdexcelExam Questions7. Advanced Organic Chemistry (A Level Only)7.4 Organic Chemistry III: Aromatic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry III: Aromatic Chemistry (Edexcel A Level Chemistry)

Exam Questions

29 mins3 questions
1a1 mark

This question is about aluminium chloride.

Complete the electronic configuration of an aluminium atom.

1s2 ...............................................................................................

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1b7 marks

At high temperatures, aluminium chloride exists as AlCl3 molecules.

i)

Draw a dot-and-cross diagram of an aluminium chloride molecule, AlCl3.

Show the outer shell electrons only.

(1)

ii)

Predict the shape of an AlCl3 molecule and the Cl−Al−Cl bond angle.

(2)

Shape of AlCl3  
Cl−Al−Cl bond angle  

iii)

Aluminium chloride is used as a catalyst in the alkylation of benzene.

Draw the mechanism for the reaction between benzene and chloromethane using aluminium chloride as the catalyst.
Include an equation for the formation of the electrophile, and any relevant curly arrows.

(4)

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1c2 marks

Aluminium chloride exists as a dimer, Al2Cl6 , just above its boiling temperature.

i)
Draw a diagram to show how two AlCl3 molecules are joined together in the dimer.

(1)

ii)
State the type of bond that joins the two AlCl3 molecules together.

(1)

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2a9 marks

This question is about the arenes, ethylbenzene, xylene, and phenol, which can be identified in wine samples using gas chromatography. 

q5-9cho-al-2-june-2019-qp-edexcel-a-level-chem

Ethylbenzene can be formed by the reaction of a chloroalkane with benzene, catalysed by aluminium chloride, AlCl3. 

i)
Draw the displayed formula of the chloroalkane required for this reaction. 
(1)

ii)
Draw the mechanism for this reaction.
Include equations showing the role of the catalyst and how it is regenerated. 
(5)

iii)
Explain whether phenol is likely to be less or more reactive than benzene with the chloroalkane from (a)(i). 
(3)

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2b
Sme Calculator4 marks

A student carried out an experiment to determine the molar mass of xylene.

The student's sample of xylene vapour had a mass of 0.271 g.

At a temperature of 165°C and a pressure of 118 kPa, this sample had a volume of 70.5 cm3.

Use the Ideal Gas Equation to calculate the molar mass, in g mol-1, of this sample.

Give your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.

You must show your working. 

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2c2 marks

The time taken for a compound to pass through the column in gas chromatography is called the retention time.

Explain why different compounds will have different retention times in the same column, under the same conditions. 

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3a1 mark

This question is about alkanes.

The reaction of ethane and chlorine in UV radiation produces chloroethane.

C2H6 + Cl2 → C2H5Cl + HCl

This reaction is classified as

  ☐ A addition
  ☐ B elimination
  ☐ C initiation
  ☐ D substitution

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3b1 mark

The black smoke produced from the incomplete combustion of alkane fuels is

  ☐ A carbon particulates
  ☐ B oxides of nitrogen
  ☐ C oxides of sulfur
  ☐ D unburnt hydrocarbons

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3c1 mark

A reaction of hexane is shown below.

q1c-9cho-al-2-june-2018-qp-edexcel-a-level-chem

This is best described as

  ☐ A elimination
  ☐ B hydrogenation
  ☐ C isomerisation
  ☐ D reforming

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3d1 mark

The skeletal formula of decalin is

q1d-9cho-al-2-june-2018-qp-edexcel-a-level-chem

The molecular formula of decalin is

  ☐ A C10H22
  ☐ B C10H20
  ☐ C C10H18
  ☐ D C10H16

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