plumiOrganic synthesis and analysis: Eduqas A‑Level Chemistry questions
Every Eduqas A-Level Chemistry exam question on OA4 Organic synthesis and analysis, 2016–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.
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Q6(c)
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Component 2, question 6(c): State why stage 5 is described as addition polymerisation and not condensation polymerisation. [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/a410u20-jun25-06-c-qp.webp)
Q7(c)(ii)
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Q8(d)(i)
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Component 2, question 8(d)(i): State the name of the dicarboxylic acid that is reacted with the diamine to give this polyamide. [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/a410u20-jun25-08-di-qp.webp)
Q8(d)(ii)
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Q9(a)(iii)
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Q10(a)(iii)
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Component 2, question 10(a)(iii): Suggest a method that can be used to separate these two isomers. [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/a410u20-jun25-10-aiii-qp.webp)
Q10(d)
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Q12(a)(iii)
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Q12(b)
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Q3(a)
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Q3(b)
The whole paper ↗![June 2025 Component 3, question 3(b): Outline how impure N-propylbenzamide could be purified. [3]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/a410u30-jun25-03-b-qp.webp)
Q7(d)(iii)
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Q7(d)(iv)
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Q8(d)(i)
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Component 2, question 8(d)(i): Suggest why aqueous sodium hydroxide is added to the products. [2]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/a410u20-jun24-08-di-qp.webp)
Q8(d)(ii)
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Component 2, question 8(d)(ii): Two layers are formed in the separating funnel. The trichloromethane layer is the lower layer. State why trichloromethane forms the lower layer. [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/a410u20-jun24-08-dii-qp.webp)
Q10(b)(iii)
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Component 2, question 10(b)(iii): Draw the repeating unit of nylon 6,10 [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/a410u20-jun24-10-biii-qp.webp)
Q10(b)(iv)
The whole paper ↗![June 2024 Component 2, question 10(b)(iv): Nylon 6,10 is described as a condensation polymer. Give the meaning of condensation in this context. [1]](https://pub-e8a9dbab8e2a4d089f52b2a45e0d0b50.r2.dev/bank/a410u20-jun24-10-biv-qp.webp)
Q11(b)(ii)
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Q4(b)
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All 74 questions on Organic synthesis and analysis, as a list
- June 2025, Component 2, Q1 (1 mark): An aqueous solution of some α-amino acids is analysed by thin layer chromatography. 1 The Rf value for leucine is 0.73 when a particular solvent is used. If the
- June 2025, Component 2, Q6(c) (1 mark): State why stage 5 is described as addition polymerisation and not condensation polymerisation. [1]
- June 2025, Component 2, Q7(c)(ii) (2 marks): Unusually, calcium butanoate is less soluble in hot water than in cold water. You are given a sample of cold water and impure solid calcium butanoate. Suggest a
- June 2025, Component 2, Q8(d)(i) (1 mark): State the name of the dicarboxylic acid that is reacted with the diamine to give this polyamide. [1]
- June 2025, Component 2, Q8(d)(ii) (3 marks): PA66 is a very stable polyamide and is resistant to many of the usual methods used to recycle polymers. A new method has recently been used to recycle PA66 It i
- June 2025, Component 2, Q9(a)(iii) (1 mark): 3-Nitrobenzoic acid obtained in stage 2 is contaminated with some 2-nitrobenzoic acid. State how the presence of this impurity would affect the melting temperat
- June 2025, Component 2, Q10(a)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest a method that can be used to separate these two isomers. [1]
- June 2025, Component 2, Q10(d) (6 marks): 3-Methylbutyl ethanoate is used as a banana flavouring in the food industry. When it is refluxed with aqueous sodium hydroxide it produces sodium ethanoate and
- June 2025, Component 2, Q12(a)(iii) (2 marks): I. Furfural can be hydrogenated in a number of stages to give pentane-1,5-diol. O HO OH H2 + O H Balance the equation by inserting the number of moles of hydrog
- June 2025, Component 2, Q12(b) (6 marks): You are given a sample of sodium benzoate that is contaminated with sodium hydroxide. Devise a method to produce pure benzoic acid from this sample. Describe ho
- June 2025, Component 3, Q3(a) (6 marks): Summarise the steps in the reaction scheme for the preparation of N-propylbenzamide from propanenitrile and benzenecarboxylic acid. No other organic compounds a
- June 2025, Component 3, Q3(b) (3 marks): Outline how impure N-propylbenzamide could be purified. [3]
- June 2024, Component 2, Q7(d)(iii) (1 mark): The progress of the reaction can be followed by using thin-layer chromatography. As the reaction proceeds the spot due to the dimethyl fumarate becomes more int
- June 2024, Component 2, Q7(d)(iv) (2 marks): At the end of the reaction, solid dimethyl fumarate is filtered off. The melting temperature of pure dimethyl fumarate is 104°C. A student carried out this reac
- June 2024, Component 2, Q8(d)(i) (2 marks): Suggest why aqueous sodium hydroxide is added to the products. [2]
- June 2024, Component 2, Q8(d)(ii) (1 mark): Two layers are formed in the separating funnel. The trichloromethane layer is the lower layer. State why trichloromethane forms the lower layer. [1]
- June 2024, Component 2, Q10(b)(iii) (1 mark): Draw the repeating unit of nylon 6,10 [1]
- June 2024, Component 2, Q10(b)(iv) (1 mark): Nylon 6,10 is described as a condensation polymer. Give the meaning of condensation in this context. [1]
- June 2024, Component 2, Q11(b)(ii) (1 mark): The formula for the repeating unit of the polyester PTT is shown below. O O C C O (CH2)3 O State the name of the compound that reacts with propane-1,3-diol to g
- June 2024, Component 3, Q4(b) (3 marks): N-phenylethanamide is much more soluble in hot water than it is in cold water. Use this fact to outline how you would purify N-phenylethanamide to obtain a pure
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q1(b)(i) (1 mark): A gas-liquid chromatogram of methylcyclohexane, contaminated with small quantities of cyclohexane, ethylcyclohexane and propylcyclohexane is shown below. The fi
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q1(b)(ii) (1 mark): The boiling temperatures of cyclohexane and some alkylcyclohexanes are shown in the table. Compound Boiling temperature / °C cyclohexane 81 methylcyclohexane 10
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q2(b) (1 mark): The melting temperature of pure (1,2-dibromoethyl)benzene is 73 °C. In the reaction the product was recrystallised using ethanol as the solvent. State how the m
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q3(a) (1 mark): State and explain the colour of this compound in white light. [1]
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q6(b)(ii) (2 marks): After removal of insoluble calcium sulfate, 20 cm3 of hexan-1-ol was added to the reaction product. Hexan-1-ol and water are immiscible. The propanoic acid diss
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q6(e)(i) (2 marks): The concentration of small quantities of ethanal present in ethanoic acid can be measured by colorimetry, where the intensity of the colour produced in solution
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q6(e)(ii) (2 marks): The absorption at 480 nm is related to the concentration of ethanal present by the equation below. absorption = constant × concentration The absorption of an et
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q7(a) (1 mark): The condensation polymer Nylon-6 can be formed from 6-aminohexanoic acid. Complete the equation for this reaction. [1] H O C n N ( CH ) + n 2 5 n 6-aminohexano
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q8(a)(i) (6 marks): The flow chart below outlines one method for its preparation. product mixture of + ethanol solid benzaldehyde product and phenylamine boiling water 20 minutes w
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q8(a)(ii) (2 marks): The table below summarises two methods for making benzylidene aniline. Reaction Time taken Purification Yield Method temperature Catalyst / min solvent / % / °C
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q8(c)(i) (2 marks): Complete the table below giving the observation, if any, for the reaction with each of these compounds. You can assume that the materials being used are in an a
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q10(b) (6 marks): Four reactions are shown below. Each of them is wrong in some way. For each of these reactions, explain what is incorrect, and correct them as appropriate. [6
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q10(d) (6 marks): Under suitable conditions dichloroethanoic acid, Cl2CHCOOH, reacts with alkalis to give compound W. Information about compound W is given below. • It has a rela
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q11(e)(i) (1 mark): Use the formula of these two compounds to give the formula of the repeating section of this polyester. [1]
- Autumn 2021, Component 2, Q11(e)(ii) (1 mark): Draw a ring around the part of the repeating section in part (i) that shows the ester linkage in this polymer. [1]
- Autumn 2021, Component 3, Q2(c) (3 marks): Phenyl benzoate is very much more soluble in hot ethanol than it is in cold ethanol. Use this fact to outline how you would purify phenyl benzoate to obtain a p
- Autumn 2021, Component 3, Q2(e) (2 marks): State the names of two methods that could be used to show that a sample of phenyl benzoate is pure. [2] Method 1 Method 2
- Autumn 2021, Component 3, Q2(f)(i) (2 marks): Two esters, A and B, of molecular formula C4H8O2, were separately refluxed with aqueous sodium hydroxide and then the reaction mixtures distilled. The alcohols
- Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q6(b)(ii) (3 marks): Use your answer to part (i) to deduce the structures of compounds T, U and V. [3] Compound Structure T U V
- Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q8(a) (6 marks): A perfume contains 2-methylundecanal, C12H24O. O CH3(CH2)8CH(CH3)C H Compounds D to G all contain some features similar to 2-methylundecanal. For each compound
- Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q8(d) (2 marks): The table shows the concentrations of seven coloured compounds in a tomato. The values were obtained by HPLC. Concentration Compound / μg g–1 1 0.60 2 1.15 3 1.
- Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q9(d) (2 marks): Some information about a sample of 2,6-dichlorophenol produced by the chlorination of 2-chlorophenol is given below. Calculated percentage of chlorine in 2,6-di
- Autumn 2020, Component 2, Q9(e)(iv) (2 marks): In stage 3, hexane-1,6-diol reacts with hexane-1,6-dioic acid to give the polyester. I. State why this is a condensation reaction. [1] II. Draw a ring around th
- Autumn 2020, Component 3, Q1(c) (8 marks): For each pair of compounds shown below, complete the table to describe a chemical test that can be used to distinguish between them. Where appropriate, give the
- June 2019, Component 2, Q8(d)(ii) (8 marks): Another method of disposal is by the conversion of CS gas to (2-chlorophenyl)ethene, ammonium sulfate, carbon dioxide and other products. Cl Cl stage 1 CN H C C
- June 2019, Component 2, Q10(a)(v) (1 mark): In Stage 4 Kevlar® is produced. State why this polymer is described as a polyamide. [1]
- June 2019, Component 2, Q10(a)(vii) (1 mark): The student suggested that benzene-1,4-diol can react with the acid dichloride formed in stage 3 to give a different polymer. Suggest a formula for this polymer
- June 2019, Component 2, Q11(a)(ii) (3 marks): The reforming of naphtha produces a number of other liquid products in addition to benzene. I. One method of separating benzene from aliphatic products is to us
- June 2019, Component 2, Q12(c)(i) (1 mark): Many polymers persist in the environment for many years and are causing severe pollution problems. There is an increasing use of materials that lead to fewer en
- June 2019, Component 2, Q12(c)(ii) (2 marks): Suggest two desirable properties of PLA if it is to be used for lining the cardboard of a cup used for hot drinks. [2] 1 ……… 2. ………
- June 2019, Component 3, Q5(a)(i) (2 marks): and (ii) by completing the table opposite. (i) Name compounds D and F. [2]
- June 2019, Component 3, Q5(a)(ii) (3 marks): Give the results you would expect to observe on addition of reagents 2 and 3 to each of the compounds. Write ‘NR’ if there is no reaction. Three of the compound
- June 2019, Component 3, Q5(c)(i) (4 marks): Complete the table below giving the reagent(s) and briefly describing each test. Give the observations made for each compound. Any test you suggest must lead to
- June 2019, Component 3, Q5(c)(ii) (3 marks): Explain each of the positive results observed. [3]
- June 2019, Component 3, Q5(d)(i) (1 mark): Name compound J. [1] Do not use any of the reagents used in parts (a)-(c) [shown below] in your answers to parts (ii)-(iv). red litmus paper I2(aq) / NaOH(aq) o
- June 2019, Component 3, Q5(d)(ii) (1 mark): Give a chemical test which gives a positive result for compounds H, I and J but not for compound B. [1] Reagent(s) ……… Observation(s) …
- June 2018, Component 2, Q10(b)(ii) (2 marks): Briefly outline how the mixture could be ‘heated under reflux at 100 °C’. [2]
- June 2018, Component 2, Q10(b)(iii) (1 mark): State how the method implies that glucose pentaethanoate is insoluble in water. [1]
- June 2018, Component 2, Q10(b)(iv) (1 mark): During recrystallisation glucose pentaethanoate is dissolved in the ‘minimum quantity of hot ethanol’. Why was the ‘minimum quantity’ used? [1]
- June 2018, Component 2, Q10(b)(v) (2 marks): The melting temperature of glucose pentaethanoate is 134 °C. In the experiment the sample is found to melt at a lower temperature. Suggest a possible cause for
- June 2018, Component 2, Q13(d)(iii) (1 mark): Draw the structure of nylon-11, indicating the repeating unit present. The formula of 11-aminoundecanoic acid is shown below. [1] O H2N (CH2)10 C OH
- June 2018, Component 2, Q14(b)(ii) (6 marks): Suggest a three stage synthesis of phenylethanoic acid (C6H5CH2COOH) starting from methylbenzene. In the first stage, methylbenzene reacts with chlorine in a si
- June 2018, Component 2, Q15(b)(ii) (4 marks): Tests on liquid L showed that • it did not liberate carbon dioxide with sodium hydrogencarbonate solution. • it contained 2 oxygen atoms in each molecule • when
- June 2018, Component 3, Q2(c) (2 marks): Two-stage processes for the preparation of alcohols A and C are shown below. In each case the intermediate compound has been omitted. Complete the schemes by in
- June 2018, Component 3, Q4(a)(i) (2 marks): Spot 2 on this chromatogram corresponds to alanine. Calculate the Rf value of alanine in this solvent. [2] Rf =
- June 2018, Component 3, Q4(a)(ii) (1 mark): Explain, in terms of the data provided, why only three spots are present on this chromatogram even though the solution contains a mixture of four different amin
- June 2018, Component 3, Q4(a)(iii) (4 marks): The plate was rotated through 90° in an anticlockwise direction and then placed in a phenol/ammonia solvent. Complete the diagram below to show the chromatogram
- June 2017, Component 2, Q7 (3 marks): A sample of 1-butyl butanoate (boiling temperature 164 °C) is contaminated with around 10 % of butanoic acid (boiling temperature 162 °C). Describe how you woul
- June 2017, Component 2, Q8(a)(i) (1 mark): Suggest a simple method of heating and subsequent cooling of the reaction mixture. [1]
- June 2017, Component 2, Q9(a)(iv) (4 marks): 2,4-Dinitrophenylamine has a melting temperature of 180 °C and is recrystallised from a 1:1 mixture of ethanol and water. Outline the essential stages of this r
- June 2017, Component 2, Q10(f) (6 marks): Compound J is a polyamide that is produced from two different monomers. This polyamide is hydrolysed by boiling it with aqueous sodium hydroxide. After acidifyi
- June 2017, Component 2, Q11(b)(iv) (2 marks): State the type of reaction occurring in stage 4 and give a suitable reagent(s) for this reaction. [2] Type of reaction Reagent(s)
- June 2017, Component 2, Q13(e) (11 marks): Compound R is a neutral saturated aliphatic compound that contains only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The percentage of oxygen by mass is 24.6 This compound is h
- June 2017, Component 3, Q5 (4 marks): Noradrenaline is a hormone that is produced naturally by the body. It is given by injection to treat a life-threatening drop in blood pressure. A student was gi
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