Alcohol, Carboxylic Acids and Polyesters

• What functional group do all alcohols have?

  -OH
• Name the first four alcohols. 


  Methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol
• State the main uses of alcohols 


  Fuels, solvents and drinks.
• Give the general formula of alcohols. 


  CnH2nO
• What happens when an alcohol reacts with sodium?

  The sodium effervesces.
• Write a general equation for the reaction of sodium with alcohol.

  Sodim + alcohol --> salt + hydrogen
• What happens when an alcohol is added to water.

  They dissolve and form neutral solutions.
• What happens when alcohol is combusted?

  Carbon dioxide and water are formed.
• What happens when an alcohol reacts with an oxidising agent?

  They react and form carboxylic acids.
• What is an oxidising agent?

  A reactant that provides oxygen to the reaction.
• Name the carboxylic acid formed by ethanol.

  Ethanoic acid.
• Write a word equation for fermentation.

  Glucose --> ethanol + carbon dioxide
• Apart from yeast, what conditions are needed in fermentation of glucose?

  37oC, slightly acidic solution, anaerobic conditions.
• What functional group do all carboxylic acids have?

  -COOH
• Name the first four carboxylic acids.

  Methanoic acid, ethanoic acid, propanoic acid and butanoic acid.
• What happens when carboxylic acids react with sodium carbonate?

  Effervescence.
• Which gas is formed when carboxylic acids react with sodium carbonate?

  Carbon dioxide
• What happens when carboxylic acids are added to water?

  They dissolve and form weak acids.
• Why are carboxylic acids weak acids?

  They slightly ionise and release H+ ions in water.
• Compare the pH of carboxylic acids to strong acids of the same concentration.

  They have a higher pH that is lower than 7.
• How can a carboxylic acid be described as both concentrated and weak?

  They would have a high concentration of acid particles per unit volume but only slightly ionise to form H+ ions in water.
• What happens when carboxylic acids react with alcohols?

  They make esters.
• What is needed for carboxylic acids to react with alcohols?

  Sulfuric acid catalyst.
• What are the unique properties of esters?

  They have pleasant smell and are very volatile.
• What are two uses of esters? 


  Solvents and perfumes.
• Name a common ester.

  Ethyl ethanoate.
• What is the functional group in an ester?


  -COOC-
• What types of monomers are needed to make a condensation polymer?

  Two different monomers containing two functional groups.
• How do addition polymer monomers compare to condensation polymerisation monomers?

  Addition polymers are one type, alkenes with one functional group.
• What is made during condensation polymerisation?

  A condensation polymer and usually water.
• How do the products of addition polymerisation compare with condensation polymerisation.

  They form only one product, the addition polymer.
• During condensation polymerisation, what small molecule other than water

  could be formed?

  HCl
• Name two monomers that can react to make a condensation polymer.

  Dialcohol and dicarboxylic acid.
• Name the type of polymer made from alcohol and carboxylic acid monomers. 


  Polyester.
• On the carbon that joins the alcohol to the carboxylic acid, what needs to be drawn in an exam?

  The C=O and the C-O- bonds of the ester link.
• What is an amino acid?

  A biological molecule with two functional groups
• Which functional groups do amino acids have?

  -NH₂ and -COOH
• Name the functional groups in an amino acid.

  Amine and carboxylic acid
• What do amino acids form during a condensation reaction? 


  Polypeptides
• What is formed from different amino acids combined in one chain?

  Proteins