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Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry – Organic Chemistry and Analysis

Topic 33
Carboxylic Acids
and Derivatives

Topic 33 extends carboxylic acids to A Level. The acyl chloride page covers their formation, their reactions with water, alcohols, phenol, ammonia and amines, the addition–elimination mechanism and the relative ease of hydrolysis of acyl chlorides, alkyl chlorides and aryl chlorides. The A Level outcomes on benzoic acid, relative acidity and further oxidation are taught on the Topic 18 carboxylic acid pages.

Exam Paper
Paper 4
9701 A Level
Learning Outcomes
33.1.1 – 33.3.4
Acids, esters, acyl chlorides
Sub-topics
1 lesson
Plus the Topic 18 pages
Exam Board
Cambridge
9701 (2025 onwards)

Revision Notes

1 revision note, in the order the specification teaches them.

Summary Map

Download, print and revise the reactions of this topic at a glance.

Summary maps

Download, print and revise the reactions of this topic at a glance.

Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Acyl Chlorides Map

Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry · Topic 33 Carboxylic acids and derivatives

Every reaction on one A4 page: reagents, conditions and reaction type for each arrow, colour coded, with the key tests.

Download the map6 reactions · A4 landscape · print ready
Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Acyl Chlorides and Acidity Summary Map

Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry · Topic 33 Carboxylic acids and derivatives

The whole section on one A4 page: making acyl chlorides, their reactions, addition-elimination, acids, phenols and alcohols, chloro acids, oxidation and hydrolysis.

Download the map6 key ideas + a data table · A4 portrait · print ready

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MCQ Bank

Multiple-choice papers on this topic, marked the moment you submit.

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Written, drawn and worked exam practice on this topic.

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Revision Game

Match reagents to products, free, with your board's reagents and conditions.

Illustration of memory game cards, two turned face up as a matching pairFree

Revision Game: Acyl chlorides

Turn the cards over two at a time: match reagents to what they make, and find how each product is made.

A free memory game on the reactions in this topic, with your board's reagents, conditions and spec points.

  • Two ways to playMatch each set of reagents to what the reaction makes, or see a product and find the reactant and reagents that make it.
  • Drawn the way the exam draws themEvery structure is drawn in ChemDraw, with the reagents and conditions your exam board asks for.
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Study Cards

Pick a deck, then turn each card to check what you remember.

Specification

Every specification point in this topic, in the exam board's own words. Rate how confident you are with each one.

Cambridge no longer issues a data booklet: the data you need are given in each question, and the syllabus has a Data section.

Self-assessment · 20 points

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33.1.1

  1. a

    recall the reaction by which benzoic acid can be produced: reaction of an alkylbenzene with hot alkaline KMnO4 and then dilute acid, exemplified by methylbenzene

    Revise

33.1.2

  1. a

    describe the reaction of carboxylic acids with PCl3 and heat to form acyl chlorides

    Revise
  2. b

    describe the reaction of carboxylic acids with PCl5 to form acyl chlorides

    Revise
  3. c

    describe the reaction of carboxylic acids with SOCl2 to form acyl chlorides

    Revise

33.1.3

  1. a

    recognise that some carboxylic acids can be further oxidised: the oxidation of methanoic acid, HCOOH, with Fehling's reagent or Tollens' reagent or acidified KMnO4 or acidified K2Cr2O7 to carbon dioxide and water

    Revise
  2. b

    recognise that some carboxylic acids can be further oxidised: the oxidation of ethanedioic acid, HOOCCOOH, with warm acidified KMnO4 to carbon dioxide

    Revise

33.1.4

  1. 33.1.4

    describe and explain the relative acidities of carboxylic acids, phenols and alcohols

    Revise

33.1.5

  1. 33.1.5

    describe and explain the relative acidities of chlorine-substituted carboxylic acids

    Revise

33.2.1

  1. a i

    recall the reaction by which esters can be produced: reaction of alcohols with acyl chlorides using the formation of ethyl ethanoate as an example

    Revise
  2. a ii

    recall the reaction by which esters can be produced: reaction of alcohols with acyl chlorides using the formation of phenyl benzoate as an example

    Revise

33.3.1

  1. a i

    recall the reaction (reagents and conditions) by which acyl chlorides can be produced: reaction of carboxylic acids with PCl3 and heat

    Revise
  2. a ii

    recall the reaction (reagents and conditions) by which acyl chlorides can be produced: reaction of carboxylic acids with PCl5

    Revise
  3. a iii

    recall the reaction (reagents and conditions) by which acyl chlorides can be produced: reaction of carboxylic acids with SOCl2

    Revise

33.3.2

  1. a

    describe the hydrolysis of acyl chlorides on addition of water at room temperature to give the carboxylic acid and HCl

    Revise
  2. b

    describe the reaction of acyl chlorides with an alcohol at room temperature to produce an ester and HCl

    Revise
  3. c

    describe the reaction of acyl chlorides with phenol at room temperature to produce an ester and HCl

    Revise
  4. d

    describe the reaction of acyl chlorides with ammonia at room temperature to produce an amide and HCl

    Revise
  5. e

    describe the reaction of acyl chlorides with a primary or secondary amine at room temperature to produce an amide and HCl

    Revise

33.3.3

  1. 33.3.3

    describe the addition–elimination mechanism of acyl chlorides in reactions in 33.3.2(a)–(e)

    Revise

33.3.4

  1. 33.3.4

    explain the relative ease of hydrolysis of acyl chlorides, alkyl chlorides and halogenoarenes (aryl chlorides)

    Revise