A LevelChemistryCIETopic Questions18. Carboxylic Acids & Derivatives18.1 Carboxylic Acids

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First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

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Carboxylic Acids (CIE A Level Chemistry)

Topic Questions

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11 mark

‘Trans fats’ can be found in some vegetable oils and are known to lead to increased blood cholesterol levels. 

In the diagrams below, R1 and R2 are different hydrocarbon chains. 

Which diagram shows an optically active ‘trans fat’?

  • 3-6-e-3a

  • 3-6-e-3b

  • 3-6-e-3c

  • 3-6-e-3d

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21 mark

Which reaction does not produce propanoic acid?

  • Heating propanenitrile under reflux with dilute sodium hydroxide.

  • Heating propanenitrile under reflux with dilute sulfuric acid.

  • Heating propanal under reflux with acidified sodium dichromate (VI).

  • Heating propanol under reflux with acidified sodium dichromate (VI).

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31 mark

Propionitrile, CH3CH2Cidentical toN, is used to produce propanoic acid.

What are the conditions for this reaction?

  • NaOH

  • H+ / Na2Cr2O7

  • NaBH4

  • H+ / H2O

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11 mark

Sirolimus is a drug used to treat patients after kidney transplants.

3-6-cie-ial-chemistry-diagram-q2hard

Sirolimus produces an equimolar mixture of two organic products, on reaction with hot aqueous sodium hydroxide.

What is the structural formula of the product with the lower relative molecular mass?

  • 3-6-h-2a

  • 3-6-h-2b

  • 3-6-h-2c

  • 3-6-h-2d

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21 mark

Compound K, C5H12O, is oxidised by acidified sodium dichromate (VI) to compound L.

Compound L reacts with butan-2-ol in the presence of a little concentrated sulfuric acid to give liquid M.

What could be the formula of liquid M?

  • (CH3)2CHCH2CO2C(CH3)3

  • CH3(CH2)3CO2(CH2)3CH3

  • CH3(CH2)3CO2CH(CH3)CH2CH3

  • CH3(CH2)2CO2CH2CH2(CH3)2

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31 mark

Compound X can be made from 2-hydroxybutanoic acid.

3-6-h-4

What should be heated with 2-hydroxybutanoic acid in order to make compound X?

  • Aluminium oxide

  • Concentrated sulfuric acid

  • Dilute sodium hydroxide

  • Acidified potassium manganate under reflux

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41 mark

Oxaloacetic acid can be synthesised from fumaric acid in a two-step process involving the intermediate Z.

HO subscript 2 CCH equals CHCO subscript 2 straight H space space rightwards arrow with step space 1 on top space space bold Z space space rightwards arrow with step space 2 on top space space HO subscript 2 CCOCH subscript 2 CO subscript 2 straight H space space space space space space space space fumaric space acid space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space space oxaloacetic space acid

 

Each step involved can be achieved in the laboratory by a single reagent. 

What could be the intermediate Z and the reagent for step 2?

 

Z

Reagent for step 2

A

B

C

D

HO2CCH(OH)CH2CO2H

HO2CCH(OH)CH2CO2H

HO2CCHBrCH2CO2H

HO2CCHBrCH(OH)CO2H

Fehling’s solution

Warm acidified K2Cr2O7

Warm acidified KMnO4

Warm NaOH (aq)

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51 mark

Citric acid gives lemons and other citrus fruits their sour taste.

HO2CCH2C(OH)(CO2H)CH2CO2H

        citric acid

What is the volume of 0.2 mol dm–3 sodium hydroxide solution required to neutralise a solution containing 0.008 mol of citric acid?

  • 40 dm3

  • 80 dm3

  • 120 dm3

  • 160 dm3

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61 mark

The compound 2-ethyl-3-methylbutanoic acid gives rum it’s signature smell.

3-6-h-8

Which compound will produce 2-ethyl-3-methylbutanoic acid by heating under reflux with alcoholic sodium cyanide and subsequent acid hydrolysis of the reaction product?

  • 3-6-h-8a

  • 3-6-h-8b

  • 3-6-h-8c

  • 3-6-h-8d

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71 mark

Digestion of various foods and medicines can cause acidic compounds to pass through the body. The stomach wall can become sensitive to acidic compounds, resulting in stomach ulcers.

Which of the following is the most acidic compound?

  • 3-6-h-9a

  • 3-6-h-9b

  • 3-6-h-9c

  • 3-6-h-9d

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11 mark

Sour milk contains a compound called lactic acid (2-hydroxypropanoic acid) which has the molecular formula CH3CH(OH)CO2H.

Which of the following reactions could lactic acid undergo?

  • CH3CH(OH)CO2H  +  Cl2            rightwards arrow     CH3CH(Cl)CO2H + OCl

  • CH3CH(OH)CO2H  +  HCO2H     rightwards arrow     CH3CH(O2CH)CO2H  + H2O

  • CH3CH(OH)CO2H  +  CH3OH     rightwards arrow     CH3CH(OCH3)CO2H  + H2O

  • CH3CH(OH)CO2H  +  NaHCO3   rightwards arrow     CH3CH(ONa)CO2H + H2O + CO2

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21 mark

Apples contain a compound called malic acid.

3-6-m-6

Which substance will react with only one hydroxyl groups in malic acid under suitable conditions?

  • Na (s)

  • PCl5

  • NaOH (aq)

  • Cr2O72- / H+ (aq)

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31 mark

The natural bacterial fermentation of milk produces a compound called propanoic acid.

Propanoic acid is partly responsible for the flavour of Swiss cheese. Its structure is shown below:

7-3-m-q1-mcq-al-chemistry

Which starting materials could be used to produce propanoic acid?

 

 

CH3CH2CN

CH3CH2CHO

CH3CH2CH2OH

A

✓

✓

✓

B

✓

✓

x

C

x

✓

✓

D

✓

x

x

 

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