plumiCarboxylic acids and esters: AQA A‑Level Chemistry questions
AQA A-Level Chemistry past-paper questions on 3.3.9.1 Carboxylic acids and esters, 2008–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q03.5
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All 70 questions on Carboxylic acids and esters, as a list
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q03.5 (1 mark): A different plasticiser, DEHA, is added to PVC used for food packaging. The structure of DEHA is Identify the organic compound that would react with hexanedioic
- June 2025, Paper 2, Q03.6 (3 marks): DEHA can be absorbed into food from PVC packaging. In an investigation, 1 kg samples of three different foods are stored in PVC packaging for 30 days. Table 1 s
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q06.2 (3 marks): Q can be reacted with methanol to form three different esters. State the number used to identify the position of the C=C bond in the name of the ester formed fr
- June 2025, Paper 3, Q06.3 (2 marks): Q also reacts with NaOH State the formula of the product, formed by Branch B in Figure 2, in this reaction. State a use for this product. [2 marks] Formula Use
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q04.1 (2 marks): Ester F can be prepared from propan-2-ol and ethanoic acid. Give an equation for this reaction. Name ester F. [2 marks] Equation Name
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q04.2 (6 marks): Describe how Step 1 should be done. In your description you should • give details of suitable equipment used to add each reagent to the reflux apparatus • draw
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q04.3 (3 marks): In Step 2 the reaction mixture from Step 1 is shaken with aqueous sodium carbonate. State the purpose of the sodium carbonate. Suggest a precaution that should
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q04.4 (1 mark): Give the reason for the use of anhydrous magnesium sulfate in Step 3. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q04.5 (1 mark): Suggest how the purity of the ester can be confirmed during the distillation in Step 4. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 2, Q06.1 (1 mark): Give an equation for the reaction of C4H9COOH with sodium hydrogencarbonate. [1 mark]
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q01.1 (2 marks): Give the equation for the reaction of 2-hydroxybenzenecarboxylic acid with methanol. In your equation, include the skeletal formula of the organic product. [2 m
- June 2024, Paper 3, Q30 (1 mark): Which compound is formed by the acid hydrolysis of phenyl benzenecarboxylate? [1 mark] A C6H5CH2OH B C6H5CHO C C6H5COCH3 D C6H5COOH
- June 2023, Paper 2, Q08.1 (2 marks): Complete the equation for the hydrolysis of the triester in palm oil under acidic conditions. [2 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q01.1 (1 mark): State the role of concentrated sulfuric acid in this reaction. [1 mark]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q01.2 (1 mark): The reaction mixture is flammable. Suggest how the reaction mixture should be heated in step 1. [1 mark]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q01.3 (4 marks): Figure 1 shows how a student set up the apparatus for reflux in step 1. You should assume that the apparatus is clamped correctly. Figure 1 Identify two mistake
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q01.4 (2 marks): State why sodium carbonate is added to the distillate in step 4. Explain why there is a build-up of pressure in the separating funnel. [2 marks]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q01.5 (2 marks): Give a reason why two layers form in the separating funnel. Suggest why ethyl ethanoate forms the upper layer. [2 marks] Reason Suggestion
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q01.6 (1 mark): State why anhydrous calcium chloride is added in step 6. [1 mark]
- June 2023, Paper 3, Q01.8 (1 mark): Suggest a reason why the percentage yield is not 100%. [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q07.1 (3 marks): Add three curly arrows to complete the mechanism in Figure 4. [3 marks]
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q07.2 (1 mark): Name the type of reaction shown in Figure 4. [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q07.3 (1 mark): Deduce the role of the CH3O− ion in step 3 shown in Figure 4. [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 2, Q07.4 (1 mark): A triester in vegetable oil reacts with sodium hydroxide in a similar way. Give a use for a product of this reaction. [1 mark]
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q25 (1 mark): Which compound is an isomer of ethyl ethanoate? [1 mark] A butyl methanoate B methyl propanoate C methyl butanoate D propanoic acid
- June 2022, Paper 3, Q31 (1 mark): Which pair of reagents does not produce ethanol? [1 mark] A CH3CH2Br and NaOH(aq) B CH3COOCH3 and NaOH(aq) C HCOOCH2CH3 and NaOH(aq) D CH3CHO and NaBH4(aq)
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q01.1 (3 marks): Complete the equation by drawing the structure of the other product of this reaction in the box. Name the type of compound shown by the formula RCOOK Give one u
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q01.2 (3 marks): The triester in coconut oil has a relative molecular mass, Mr = 638.0 In the equation shown at the start of Question 01, R represents an alkyl group that can be
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q01.4 (3 marks): Suggest why aqueous ethanol is a suitable solvent when heating the coconut oil with KOH. Give a safety precaution used when heating the mixture. Justify your ch
- November 2021, Paper 2, Q05.2 (1 mark): Deduce the structure of the diester in Question 05.1 [1 mark]
- November 2020, Paper 2, Q03.3 (3 marks): Separate samples of each isomer are warmed with ethanoic acid and a few drops of concentrated sulfuric acid. In each case the mixture is then poured into a solu
- November 2020, Paper 3, Q35 (1 mark): Which compound is formed when phenyl benzenecarboxylate is hydrolysed under acidic conditions? [1 mark] A C6H5CH2OH B C6H5CHO C C6H5COCH3 D C6H5COOH
- June 2019, Paper 2, Q11.2 (2 marks): In a reaction to form biodiesel, one mole of a vegetable oil reacts with an excess of methanol to form two moles of an ester with molecular formula C19H34O2 and
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q24 (1 mark): Which compound is formed by acid hydrolysis of phenylmethyl ethanoate? [1 mark] A C6H5CH2OH B C6H5CHO C C6H5COCH3 D C6H5COOH
- June 2019, Paper 3, Q25 (1 mark): A student is required to dry a liquid sample of pentanoic acid. Which drying agent is suitable? [1 mark] A Calcium oxide B Calcium sulfate C Potassium hydroxide
- June 2018, Paper 2, Q03.3 (2 marks): Describe how you would carry out a simple test-tube reaction to confirm that the sample of propanal obtained by distillation does not contain any propanoic acid
- June 2018, Paper 3, Q11 (1 mark): Which statement is correct about both 2-methylbutan-1-ol and 2-methylbutan-2-ol? [1 mark] A They can be formed by alkaline hydrolysis of esters. B They can be o
- June 2017, Paper 2, Q05.1 (1 mark): Draw a structural formula for the diester C6H10O4 [1 mark
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q03.1 (1 mark): Suggest how the anti-bumping granules prevent bumping during reflux. [1 mark]
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q03.3 (1 mark): Suggest why an excess of sodium hydroxide is used. [1 mark]
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q03.4 (1 mark): Suggest why an electric heater is used rather than a Bunsen burner in this hydrolysis. [1 mark]
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q03.5 (1 mark): State why reflux is used in this hydrolysis. [1 mark]
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q03.6 (1 mark): Write an equation for the reaction between sodium benzoate and hydrochloric acid. [1 mark]
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q03.7 (2 marks): Suggest why sodium benzoate is soluble in cold water but benzoic acid is insoluble in cold water. [2 marks] 11
- June 2017, Paper 3, Q03.8 (6 marks): After the solid benzoic acid has been filtered off, it can be purified. Describe the method that the student should use to purify the benzoic acid. [6 marks] 12
- Specimen, Paper 3, Q04.1 (6 marks): Ethanedioic acid is a weak acid. Ethanedioic acid acts, initially, as a monoprotic acid. 4 – Use the concept of electronegativity to justify why the acid streng
- June 2016, CHEM4 (old spec), Q1(d)(ii) (1 mark): Aqueous sodium hydroxide is added to beaker C until the pH of the solution becomes 4.84 Name the salt formed in the reaction of ethanoic acid with sodium hydrox
- June 2016, CHEM4 (old spec), Q5(b)(iii) (1 mark): Draw the structure of the ester formed by two molecules of serine. [1 mark]
- June 2015, CHEM4 (old spec), Q6(b)(i) (2 marks): Write an equation for the reaction of this ester with sodium hydroxide to form soap. [2 marks] CH2OOCC17H31 CHOOCC17H33 CH2OOCC17H29
- June 2015, CHEM4 (old spec), Q6(b)(ii) (1 mark): Give the formula of the biodiesel molecule with the highest Mr that can be produced by reaction of this ester with methanol. [1 mark]
- June 2014, CHEM4 (old spec), Q2(b) (1 mark): Write an equation for the reaction of propanoic acid with sodium carbonate. [1 mark] 3
- June 2014, CHEM4 (old spec), Q6(b)(iii) (1 mark): methanol in the presence of a small amount of concentrated H2SO4 [1 mark]
- June 2013, CHEM4 (old spec), Q5(c)(i) (1 mark): Write an equation for the reaction of lactic acid with sodium hydroxide. (1 mark) 4 3
- January 2013, CHEM4 (old spec), Q3(a)(i) (2 marks): Complete the equation for this formation of biodiesel. (2 marks) CHOOCC17H31 + CH2OOCC17H29 CH2OOCC17H35 C17H31COOCH3 + C17H29COOCH3 C17H35COOCH3
- January 2013, CHEM4 (old spec), Q3(a)(ii) (2 marks): Write an equation for the complete combustion of C17H35COOCH3 (2 marks)
- January 2013, CHEM4 (old spec), Q6(b) (3 marks): Reagent Observation with T Observation with U
- June 2012, CHEM4 (old spec), Q4(e)(i) (1 mark): Name the functional group ringed in the structure of phenolphthalein. (1 mark)
- January 2012, CHEM4 (old spec), Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): CH3(CH2)17COO– Na+ (1 mark)
- January 2012, CHEM4 (old spec), Q8(a)(ii) (1 mark): CH3(CH2)19COOCH3 (1 mark)
- June 2011, CHEM4 (old spec), Q5(a) (1 mark): Give the IUPAC name for phthalic acid. (1 mark)
- January 2011, CHEM4 (old spec), Q1(a)(i) (1 mark): Name ester X. (1 mark)
- January 2011, CHEM4 (old spec), Q3(e) (1 mark): One industrial use of methanol is in the production of biodiesel from vegetable oils such as Give the formula of one compound in biodiesel that is formed by the
- January 2011, CHEM4 (old spec), Q4(a) (1 mark): Name compound Y, HOCH2CH2COOH (1 mark)
- January 2011, CHEM4 (old spec), Q4(e)(ii) (1 mark): an excess of methanol in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid (1 mark)
- June 2010, CHEM4 (old spec), Q7(a) (4 marks): Ethyl butanoate is used as a pineapple flavouring in sweets and cakes. Write an equation for the preparation of ethyl butanoate from an acid and an alcohol. Giv
- June 2010, CHEM4 (old spec), Q7(d) (3 marks): The ester shown below occurs in vegetable oils. Write an equation to show the formation of biodiesel from this ester.
- January 2010, CHEM4 (old spec), Q5(a)(ii) (1 mark): Give a use for the mixture of sodium salts formed in this reaction. (1 mark)
- January 2010, CHEM4 (old spec), Q5(b)(i) (1 mark): Give a use for this mixture of methyl esters. (1 mark)
- January 2010, CHEM4 (old spec), Q5(b)(iii) (1 mark): One of the other methyl esters in the mixture has the formula CH3(CH2)12COOCH3 Write an equation for the complete combustion of one molecule of this ester. (1 m
- June 2008, CHM6W (2008 spec), Q10 (1 mark): 10 Which one of the statements about the following ester is correct? A It is a chain isomer of pentanoic acid. B It is a functional group isomer of ethyl propan
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