Organic Chemistry: Carboxylic Acids (Edexcel International A Level Chemistry)

Exam Questions

11 mark

Butanoic acid may be prepared by the acid hydrolysis of

  • butyl ethanoate

  • 1-chlorobutane

  • ethyl butanoate

  • propanenitrile

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21 mark

Compound X, C4H10O, is oxidised to form compound Y.

Compound Y reacts with ethanol in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid to give an ester, Z.

Which of these could be the formula of Z?

  • CH3COOC(CH3)3

  • CH3CH2COO(CH2)3CH3

  • (CH3)2CHCOOCH2CH3

  • CH3CH2COOCH2CH(CH3)2

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31 mark

Terylene is a polyester derived from ethane-1,2-diol and terephthalic acid.

q14-paper-4-oct-2021-edexcel-ial-chemistry

What is the structure of the repeat unit of terylene?

q14-2-paper-4-oct-2021-edexcel-ial-chemistry

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    41 mark

    Propyl ethanoate, CH3COOCH2CH2CH3, is hydrolysed with aqueous sodium hydroxide.

    Which products are formed?

    • CH3COOH and CH3CH2CH2OH

    • CH3COOH and CH3CH2CH2ONa

    • CH3COONa and CH3CH2CH2OH

    • CH3COONa and CH3CH2CH2ONa

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    51 mark

    Which of these compounds is a product of the hydrolysis of CH3COOC3H7 by refluxing with aqueous sodium hydroxide?

    • CH3OH

    • C3H7OH

    • C3H7COOH

    •  C3H7COONa+

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    61 mark

    The formation of esters and the hydrolysis of esters are reactions that are slow under normal laboratory conditions.

    What speeds up these reactions?

          Esterification Hydrolysis
      A acids only acids only
      B acids only acids and bases
      C bases only bases only
      D bases only acids and bases

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      7
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      1 mark

      2.95 g of ethanoic acid is produced from 2.50 g of ethanol.

      What is the percentage yield of ethanoic acid?

      [Molar masses in g mol−1: ethanoic acid = 60 ethanol = 46]

      • 65.0 %

      • 84.7 %

      • 90.5 %

      • 118 %

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      1a1 mark

      The substance known as PHBV is a biodegradable polymer formed from 3-hydroxybutanoic acid and 3-hydroxypentanoic acid.

      q9-paper-4-2021-june-edexcel-ial-chemistry

      a)
      Which of these is the repeat unit of the polymer?

      q9a-paper-4-2021-june-edexcel-ial-chemistry
        1b1 mark
        b)
        What reaction occurs when PHBV biodegrades to its monomers?
        • condensation

        • hydrolysis

        • hydration

        • hydrogenation

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