4.8 Further Organic Chemistry Flashcards
What are structural isomers?
Chemicals that have the same molecular formula but their atoms are arranged differently.
Give four chemicals with the molecular formula C4H10O.
Butan-1-ol, betan-2-ol, 2-methylpropan-1-ol, diethyl ether.
What are stereoisomers?
Chemicals that have the same molecular formula and their atoms arrange in the same way but their bonds are arranged differently in space.
Name the two types of stereoisomerism.
E/Z isomerism and optical isomerism.
Give the conditions for E/Z isomerism to occur.
There must be a C=C double bond with two different groups attached to each of the double bonded carbons.
How are the higher priority groups arranged in Z (cis) isomers?
They’re on the same side.
How are the higher priority groups arranged in E (trans) isomers?
They’re on opposite sides.
What is a chiral carbon?
A carbon atom with four different groups attached to it. These groups can be arranged in two different ways around the central carbon.
Describe enantiomers (or optical isomers).
They are mirror images of each other. They cannot be superimposed.
What does optically active mean?
Something that rotates plane-polarised light.
How does the optical activity of two optical isomers differ?
One enantiomer rotates the plane of polarised light clockwise whilst the other rotates it anticlockwise.
What is a racemic mixture (racemate)?
A racemic mixture contains equal quantities of each enantiomer of an optically active compound.
Which mechanism preserves optical activity?
Sn2 because the mechanism only has one step. The nucleophile always attacks the opposite side to the leaving group.
What is the carbonyl functional group?
C=O
Name two compound that contain a carbonyl group.
Aldehydes and ketones.
Where is the carbonyl on an aldehyde?
At the end of the carbon chain.
Where is the carbonyl on a ketone?
In the middle of a carbon chain.
What do aldehydes and ketones hydrogen bond with?
Water, but not themselves.
Why does aldehydes and ketones have a lower boiling temperature than their corresponding alcohols?
Alcohols can hydrogen bond with themselves.
Which has the lower bounding point, propanal or pronanone?
Propanal.
Explain why large aldehydes or ketones don’t dissolve in water.
As chain length increase, so does intermolecular (London) forces. If the chain is large enough, the intermolecular forces will be stronger than the hydrogen bonds that could form with water, so it will not dissolve.
What is the product of a carbonyl compound and hydrogen cyanide?
A hydroxynitrile.
Describe the mechanism
Nucleophilic addition.
Give the equation for the dissociation of hydrogen cyanide.
HCN ⇋ H+ + CN-
Give an alternate reagent for hydrogen cyanide.
Acidified potassium cyanide.
Give one precaution you should take when using acidified potassium cyanide.
Carry out any reactions in the fume cupboard.
Describe the optical activity of the product of an asymmetrical ketone with CN-.
It’s a racemic mixture.
Why do aldehydes and CN- always produce racemic mixtures?
Because the C=O group is planar and can be attacked from either side.
What does Brady’s reagent test for?
A carbonyl group.
What is Brady’s reagent?
2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (2,4-DNPH) dissolved in methanol and conc sulfuric acid.
What is the positive result of a 2,4-DNPH test?
A bright orange precipitate (if a carbonyl group is present).
How can you identify a carbonyl compound using its precipitate formed from its reaction with Brady’s reagent?
Recrystallise it and perform a melting point analysis. Compare the result to a table of known values.
How could you purify the product of a carbonyl compound with 2,4-DNPH?
Recrystallisation.
Describe how the tests that differentiate aldehydes and ketones work.
Aldehydes can be easily oxidised to a carboxylic acid whilst ketones are not easily oxidised. If a reagent changes colour when it’s reduced it will give a positive test for an aldehyde.
What is Tollen’s reagent?
Silver nitrate dissolved in aqueous ammonia.
Describe a positive test for an aldehyde using Tollen’s reagent.
A silver mirror forms when it’s heated with an aldehyde.
Give the half equation to show how a silver mirror is formed.
Ag(NH3)2`+(aq) + e- → Ag(s) + 2NH3(aq).
What is Fehling’s solution?
A blue solution of complexed copper (II) ions dissolved in sodium hydroxide.
What is Benedict’s solution?
A blue solution of complexed copper (II) ions dissolved in sodium carbonate.
Describe a positive test for an aldehyde when heated with Fehling’s or Benedict’s solution.
The copper (II) ions are reduced to a brick-red precipitate of copper (I) oxide.
Give the half equation to show how the brick red precipitate from Fehling’s solution is formed.
Cu2+(aq) + e- → Cu+(s)