What's in Medicine

• Name the homologous series : (RCO)2O

  Acid anhydrides
• Name the homologous series: RCOOH

  Carboxylic acids
• Name the homologous series: RCOR'

  Ketones
• Name the homologous series: RCHO

  Aldehydes
• Name the homologous series: ROH

  Alcohols
• Name the homologous series: ROR'

  Ethers
• When naming an ether, which part takes the -thane?


  The longer carbon chain
• When naming an ether, which part takes the -oxy?

  The shorter carbon chain
• When naming an ester, which part takes the -yl?


  The group bonded to the -O. This group comes from the alcohol
• When naming an ester, which part takes the -oate?


  The group bonded to the C=O. This group comes from the carboxylic acid
• Name the homologous series: RCOOR'


  Esters
• Define the term 'primary alcohol'

  An alcohol where the carbon which is bonded to the -OH group is bonded to one other carbon
• Define the term 'secondary alcohol'

  An alcohol where the carbon which is bonded to the -OH group is bonded to two other carbons
• Define the term 'tertiary alcohol'

  An alcohol where the carbon which is bonded to the -OH group is bonded to three other carbons
• What product(s) can be made when a primary alcohol is oxidised?

  An aldehyde or carboxylic acid
• What product(s) can be made when a secondary alcohol is oxidised?

  A ketone
• What product(s) can be made when a tertiary alcohol is oxidised?

  None -tertiary alcohols cannot be oxidised
• Name the oxidising agent used in the oxidation of alcohols

  Acidified potassium dichromate (VI)
• When an alcohol is oxidised, why does the mixture go from orange to green in colour?

  The orange dichromate (VI) ions are reduced to green chromium (III) ions
• Which technique is used to produce a carboxylic acid from an alcohol?

  Heating under reflux
• Which technique is used to produce an aldehyde from an alcohol?

  Distillation
• Which technique is used to produce a ketone from an alcohol?

  Heating under reflux
• Name the process in which an alkene can be synthesized from an alcohol

  Dehydration of an alcohol
• Describe briefly the two methods that can be used to dehydrate an alcohol to an alkene

  A heated catalyst of aluminium oxide (Al2O3) at 300 degrees Celsius can be used to produce alkene gas, or the alcohol could be refluxed at 170 degrees Celsius with excess concentrated sulphuric acid
• Name the dehydrating agent in the dehydration reaction of ethanol (when refluxed)


  Concentrated sulphuric acid
• Define the term 'elimination reaction'

  A reaction where a small molecule is removed from a larger molecule, leaving an unsaturated molecule. In the case of alcohols, the small molecule is water.
• When an alcohol and a carboxylic acid react, what are the products?

  An ester and water
• Define the term 'condensation reaction'

  A reaction that produces water
• Apart from the reaction of an alcohol and carboxylic acid, how can an ester be produced? What are the products of this reaction?

  Reaction of an alcohol and an acid anhydride. Products are an ester and carboxylic acid
• Which esterification reaction is reversible?

  The reaction of an alcohol and carboxylic acid
• Name the type of reaction where a haloalkane is produced from an alcohol

  Substitution reaction
• What is a phenol?

  A benzene ring with at least one -OH group attached (other groups may also be attached to the benzene ring)
• What is the test for a phenol?

  Iron (III) chloride will form a purple complex when added to a phenol
• What happens when phenols dissolve in water?

  They dissociate to form an oxonium ion/hydrogen ion and a phenoxide ion
• As phenols dissolve in water to form H+ ions, they are __________

  (Weakly) acidic
• Does a phenol react with sodium hydroxide?

  Yes - the products are sodium phenoxide and water
• Does a phenol react with sodium carbonate?

  No - phenols are not acidic enough
• Does a phenol react with an acid anhydride?

  Yes - an ester and a carboxylic acid are formed
• Does a phenol react with a carboxylic acid?

  No
• What is meant by 'wavenumber'?

  1/wavelength (in cm)