Organic chemistry

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Sample objectives

What this unit covers

• Formulae, functional groups and terminology: Create and analyze the displayed formula of a molecule to illustrate all atoms and bonds present.
• Formulae, functional groups and terminology: Write and understand the general formulae for compounds within the same homologous series, specifically: (a) alkanes, CnH2n+2 (b) alkenes, CnH2n (c) alcohols, CnH2n+1OH (d) carboxylic acids, CnH2n+1COOH.
• Naming organic compounds: Identify and illustrate the displayed structures of: (a) methane and ethane (b) ethene (c) ethanol (d) ethanoic acid (e) the products from the reactions mentioned in sections 11.4-11.7
• Naming organic compounds: Identify the type of compound based on a chemical name that ends with -ane, -ene, -ol, or -oic acid, or from a molecular or displayed formula
• Fuels: Identify the fossil fuels: coal, natural gas, and petroleum.
• Fuels: Recognize methane as the primary component of natural gas.
• Alkanes: Identify that alkanes consist of single covalent bonds and classify them as saturated hydrocarbons.
• Alkanes: Explain that alkanes are mostly unreactive, with the exceptions being combustion and reactions with chlorine.
• Alkenes: Identify that alkenes contain a double bond between carbon atoms and classify them as unsaturated hydrocarbons.
• Alkenes: Explain how alkenes and hydrogen are produced through the cracking process of larger alkane molecules, which involves high temperatures and a catalyst.
• Alcohols: Explain how ethanol is produced through: (a) the fermentation of sugar solution at temperatures between 25 and 35 °C using yeast without oxygen, and (b) the catalytic reaction of steam with ethene at 300 °C and 6000 kPa using an acid catalyst.
• Alcohols: Explain how ethanol burns in combustion reactions.
• Carboxylic acids: Explain how ethanoic acid reacts with metals, bases, and carbonates, including the names and chemical formulas of the resulting salts.
• Carboxylic acids: Outline how ethanoic acid is produced through the oxidation of ethanol, specifically using acidified potassium permanganate and through bacterial oxidation in vinegar production.
• Polymers: Explain that polymers are large molecules formed from many smaller units known as monomers.
• Polymers: Illustrate how poly(ethene) is created through addition polymerisation using ethene as the monomer.