plumiCarboxylic acids: Edexcel International A Level Chemistry questions
Every Edexcel International A Level Chemistry exam question on 15C Carboxylic acids (specification points 15.9–15.12), 2019–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
Paper
All papers
Exam
All years
Calculations
Q15(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q15(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q15(a)(iv)
The whole paper ↗Q15(a)(v)
The whole paper ↗Q15(b)
The whole paper ↗Q20(b)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
Q20(b)
The whole paper ↗Q20(f)
The whole paper ↗Q10(a)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ10(b)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ14(b)
The whole paper ↗Your answerQ16(c)
The whole paper ↗Q17(a)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q17(a)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q17(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗Q17(b)(i)
The whole paper ↗Q17(b)(ii)
The whole paper ↗Q17(c)
The whole paper ↗- Your answer
All 58 questions on Carboxylic acids, as a list
- June 2025, Unit 4, Q15(a)(i) (2 marks): Identify the reagent, by name or formula, and the conditions required to carry out Reaction A. (2)
- June 2025, Unit 4, Q15(a)(iii) (2 marks): Give the structural formula and name of Substance C. (2)
- June 2025, Unit 4, Q15(a)(iv) (2 marks): Identify, by name or formula, the reagent required to carry out Reaction D, giving one observation. (2) Reagent Observation
- June 2025, Unit 4, Q15(a)(v) (1 mark): Write the full equation for the formation of Substance E. State symbols are not required. (1)
- June 2025, Unit 4, Q15(b) (3 marks): Butanoic acid is very soluble in water. This is due to strong intermolecular forces between butanoic acid molecules and water molecules. Complete the diagram by
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q20(b) (1 mark): State the IUPAC name for salicylic acid. (1)
- January 2025, Unit 4, Q1 (1 mark): Which reducing reagent is used to convert carboxylic acids to alcohols? A acidified potassium dichromate(VI) B concentrated sulfuric acid C hydrogen gas with a
- January 2025, Unit 4, Q20(b) (2 marks): Give the laboratory reagents and conditions required to convert glycolic acid, HOCH2COOH, to oxalic acid. Do not consider nitric acid. (2)
- January 2025, Unit 4, Q20(f) (2 marks): Write the equation for the reaction of oxalic acid with excess phosphorus(V) chloride. (2)
- October 2024, Unit 4, Q10(a) (1 mark): O OH and OH (1) A warm each compound with Tollens’ reagent B add sodium carbonate solution to each compound C warm each compound with iodine under alkaline cond
- October 2024, Unit 4, Q10(b) (1 mark): OH and OH (1) A warm each compound with Tollens’ reagent B add sodium carbonate solution to each compound C warm each compound with iodine under alkaline condit
- October 2024, Unit 4, Q14(b) (1 mark): What is the organic product that forms? (1) O A OH B O C OH D
- October 2024, Unit 4, Q16(c) (1 mark): An isomer of X is a carboxylic acid with five peaks in its 13C NMR spectrum. Draw a possible skeletal structure for this carboxylic acid. (1)
- June 2024, Unit 4, Q17(a)(i) (2 marks): Name the two structural isomers shown. (2) O O Isomer OH OH Name
- June 2024, Unit 4, Q17(a)(ii) (2 marks): The third structural isomer has two stereoisomers. Draw these stereoisomers. (2) Stereoisomer 1 Stereoisomer 2
- June 2024, Unit 4, Q17(a)(iii) (1 mark): Draw the fourth structural isomer. (1)
- June 2024, Unit 4, Q17(b)(i) (1 mark): Give the reagents and conditions for Reaction 1. (1)
- June 2024, Unit 4, Q17(b)(ii) (2 marks): Write the equation for Reaction 2. State symbols are not required. (2)
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q17(c) (3 marks): The final step in the synthesis is shown. N HO O H H H N H N H H State the type of reaction, and the reagent(s) and conditions required. (3) Type Reagent(s) Con
- January 2024, Unit 4, Q13 (1 mark): The reaction between ethanoic acid and lithium tetrahydridoaluminate(III) is best described as A elimination B oxidation C reduction D substitution
- January 2024, Unit 4, Q18(a) (2 marks): Name the reagent(s) in Step 1 and Step 2. (2) Step 1 Reagent(s) Step 2 Reagent(s)
- January 2024, Unit 6, Q2(d) (1 mark): A sample of Z produced bubbles when sodium carbonate solution was added. Draw the displayed formula of Z, showing all the bonds. (1)
- October 2023, Unit 4, Q10(a) (1 mark): Which reagent is required for Reaction 1? (1) A acidified potassium dichromate(VI) B concentrated sulfuric acid C hydrogen with a nickel catalyst D lithium tetr
- October 2023, Unit 4, Q10(b) (1 mark): Reaction 1 has a yield of 90 %. What mass of 2‑methylpropanoic acid is required to produce 6.66 g of 2‑methylpropan‑1‑ol? [Mr values 2‑methylpropanoic acid = 88
- October 2023, Unit 4, Q17(a) (6 marks): These four isomers can be identified using three chemical tests. Each test gives a positive result for only one isomer. All three tests give a negative result f
- October 2023, Unit 5, Q14 (1 mark): An organic compound, J, reacts with • sodium hydroxide to form an ionic compound • hydrogen in the presence of a nickel catalyst • ethanol in the presence of su
- October 2023, Unit 5, Q21(a) (1 mark): Give the IUPAC name for salicylic acid. (1)
- October 2023, Unit 5, Q21(d) (1 mark): Identify, by name or formula, the reagent needed to convert salicylic acid into methyl salicylate. (1)
- June 2023, AS Unit 3, Q2(b) (1 mark): 2 cm3 of aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate, NaHCO3(aq), is added to separate 2 cm3 samples of each compound. Any gas given off is tested with limewater. Observat
- June 2023, AS Unit 3, Q2(d)(i) (3 marks): Deduce the structure of C and the two possible structures of D. Use the molecular formula and the results from (a), (b) and (c). (3) Structure of C Possible str
- June 2023, Unit 4, Q11 (1 mark): Which acid would be produced by the hydrolysis of the molecule shown? N HO A 2-hydroxy-3-methylbutanoic acid B 3-hydroxy-2-methylbutanoic acid C 3-hydroxy-2,3-d
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q24(a)(iii) (2 marks): The structure of PAA in aqueous solution is pH-dependent. Below pH 4, the structure of PAA is compact due to the formation of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Abo
- June 2023, Unit 6, Q2(c)(ii) (1 mark): Draw the structural formula of Y. (1)
- June 2023, Unit 6, Q2(d)(i) (1 mark): Name the compound that would react with both X and Y to form ethyl esters. (1)
- June 2023, Unit 6, Q2(e) (2 marks): Both X and Y react with concentrated ammonia but form different products. Identify these products, by name or formula. (2) Product with X Product with Y
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q20(e)(ii) (1 mark): State how the benzoate ions, C6H5COO– , can be converted into benzoic acid. (1)
- October 2022, Unit 4, Q15(a) (1 mark): Give the IUPAC name of lactic acid. (1)
- October 2022, Unit 4, Q15(c)(iii) (2 marks): Write the ionic equation for the hydrolysis of X in Step 2. State symbols are not required. (2)
- June 2022, Unit 4, Q5 (1 mark): Which reaction cannot form a carboxylic acid? A oxidation of primary alcohol B acidic hydrolysis of a nitrile C alkaline hydrolysis of an ester D acyl chloride
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q15(b) (2 marks): N‑phenylanthranilic acid has the structure shown. O OH H N The solution used as an indicator was prepared by mixing 100 mg of this acid in 5 cm3 of sodium hydro
- January 2022, Unit 6, Q2(d)(i) (1 mark): When aqueous sodium carbonate is added to Y, effervescence is observed. Identify, by name or formula, the functional group present in Y. (1)
- October 2021, Unit 4, Q13 (1 mark): Butanoic acid may be prepared by the acid hydrolysis of A butyl ethanoate B 1-chlorobutane C ethyl butanoate D propanenitrile Use this space for any rough worki
- October 2021, Unit 6, Q4(c)(i) (1 mark): Write an equation for the reaction taking place in Step 4. Use structural formulae for the organic substances. State symbols are not required. (1)
- June 2021, Unit 4, Q19(a)(iii) (4 marks): Complete the table that summarises information about Step 2. State symbols are not required for the equation. (4) Conversion of CH3CH(OH)CN to lactic acid React
- June 2021, Unit 4, Q19(b) (1 mark): Sodium hydrogencarbonate, NaHCO3 , has been used by some athletes to help prevent lactic acid causing muscle pain during exercise. Write an equation for the rea
- June 2021, Unit 6, Q1(c) (3 marks): A white solid with a slight vinegar-like smell contains ammonium ions, NH4 an anion represented by Y−. The smell of vinegar intensifies on the addition of a few
- June 2021, Unit 6, Q3(b)(i) (2 marks): A and B O O OH OH O B A (2)
- January 2021, Unit 4, Q17(b) (3 marks): A reaction scheme involving butanoic acid is shown. O O acidified K2Cr2O7 reagent Y alcohol X Cl OH heat under reflux butanoic acid CH3NH2 compound Z Identify X
- January 2021, Unit 4, Q17(d)(ii) (1 mark): Aqueous sodium hydrogencarbonate is added to a sample of E. No effervescence occurs. State what can be deduced by this observation. (1)
- October 2020, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(ii) (1 mark): Identify, by name or formula, the gas produced in Test 2. (1)
- October 2020, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(iii) (2 marks): Using the results from Tests 1 and 2 and the information at the start of the question, name the functional groups present in F and G. (2) Functional group in F
- October 2020, AS Unit 3, Q3(a)(iv) (2 marks): F and G both have a molar mass of 46 g mol−1. Draw the displayed formula of F and G. (2) F G
- October 2020, Unit 4, Q14 (1 mark): An organic compound that reacts with both lithium tetrahydridoaluminate(III) (lithium aluminium hydride) and magnesium could be A an aldehyde B a carboxylic aci
- October 2020, Unit 4, Q17(a) (4 marks): Isomers A, B, C and D are structural isomers that all react with aqueous sodium carbonate to produce carbon dioxide. Isomer A is a straight-chain compound. Isom
- October 2020, Unit 6, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): When sodium hydrogencarbonate solution is added to separate samples of Q and R, effervescence occurs and a gas is evolved which turns limewater milky. Deduce th
- January 2020, Unit 4, Q1(a) (1 mark): Which of these, when mixed with water, produces the solution with the lowest pH? (1) A compound 1 B compound 2 C compound 3 D compound 4
- January 2020, Unit 4, Q4 (1 mark): The compound HOOCCH CHCOOH reacts with excess sodium hydroxide solution. What is the organic product formed in the reaction? A NaOOCCH CHCOONa B HOOCCH CHCOONa
- January 2020, Unit 4, Q20(a)(v) (1 mark): Describe how the sodium ethanoate in the final reaction mixture could be converted into ethanoic acid. (1)
Questions, mark schemes and examiner’s reports are © Pearson Edexcel, from their published past papers. Plumi isn’t affiliated with any exam board. Want whole papers? Every Edexcel International A Level Chemistry paper.
Rather write your answers by hand on iPad? Plumi marks them against the same mark schemes.