SYNTHESIS

• WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN OPTICALLY ACTIVE COMPOUND?

  2-hydroxypropanoic acid (lactic acid)
• HOW IS LACTIC ACID SYNTHESISED?

  1. Hydrogen cyanide added to ethanal over the C=O bond
  2. Forms 2-hydroxypropanenitrile
  3. Nitrile group converted into a carboxylic acid group
  4. 2-hydroxypropanenitrile reacted with water acidified with dilute solution of hydrochloric acid
  5. Forms 2-hydroxypropanoic acid
• WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE REACTION OCCURING IN THE FIRST STAGE OF THE SYNTHESIS OF LACTIC ACID?

  nucleophilic addition
• WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE REACTION OCCURING IN THE SECOND STAGE OF THE SYNTHESIS OF LACTIC ACID?

  hydrolysis
• WHAT IS THE NUCLEOPHILE IN THE REACTION?

  CN
• WHAT DOES THE FIRST STAGE PRODUCE?

  racemate mixture (CN can attack top or bottom of C=O bond)