Edexcel A Level Chemistry

Topic 6
Organic
Chemistry I

Topic 6 introduces organic chemistry, including formulae, nomenclature, isomerism, alkanes, alkenes, halogenoalkanes and alcohols. Students learn mechanisms, functional group reactions, polymerisation and key practical techniques used in organic synthesis.

Exam Papers

Paper 2

9CH0/02

Specification Points

6.1 – 6.39

39 points covered

Topic Parts

5 parts

Revision notes available

Exam Board

Edexcel

Pearson 9CH0

Revision Notes

Work through each part of Edexcel Topic 6 in a structured sequence.

Organic basics

Introductory
Organic

names, formulae and isomers

Introduction to Organic Chemistry

Hydrocarbons, formulae, homologous series, functional groups, IUPAC names, reaction types and isomerism.

Start revising

Saturated

Alkanes

fuels and free radicals

Alkanes

Saturated hydrocarbons, crude oil, combustion, pollutants, alternative fuels and radical substitution.

Start revising

Unsaturated

Alkenes

addition and polymers

Alkenes

Unsaturated hydrocarbons, π bonds, electrophilic addition, bromine water, polymers and sustainability.

Start revising

Substitution

Halogeno
alkanes

nucleophiles and leaving groups

Halogenoalkanes

Reaction types and mechanisms, naming and classifying, nucleophilic substitution, elimination and rates of hydrolysis.

Start revising

Functional groups

Alcohols

oxidation and synthesis

Alcohols

Naming and classifying alcohols, oxidation with acidified dichromate(VI), substitution and elimination, preparing and purifying liquids.

Start revising

Specification Coverage

Topic 6 Organic Chemistry I – Edexcel A Level Chemistry

The following specification points outline the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate for Topic 6.

6A: Introduction to organic chemistry

6.1

know that a hydrocarbon is a compound of hydrogen and carbon only

6.2

be able to represent organic molecules using empirical formulae, molecular formulae, general formulae, structural formulae, displayed formulae and skeletal formulae

6.3

know what is meant by the terms homologous series and functional group

6.4

be able to name compounds relevant to this specification using the rules of International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, IUPAC, nomenclature. Students will be expected to know prefixes for compounds up to C₁₀.

6.5

be able to classify reactions as addition, elimination, substitution, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis or polymerisation

6.6

understand the term structural isomerism and determine the possible structural, displayed and skeletal formulae of an organic molecule, given its molecular formula

6.7

understand the term stereoisomerism, as illustrated by E/Z isomerism, including cis-trans isomerism where two of the substituent groups are the same

6B: Alkanes

6.8

know the general formula for alkanes

6.9

know that alkanes and cycloalkanes are saturated hydrocarbons

6.10

understand that alkane fuels are obtained from the fractional distillation, cracking and reforming of crude oil

6.11

know that pollutants, including carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, carbon particulates and unburned hydrocarbons, are formed during the combustion of alkane fuels

6.12

understand the problems arising from pollutants from the combustion of fuels, limited to the toxicity of carbon monoxide and the acidity of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur

6.13

understand how the use of a catalytic converter solves some problems caused by pollutants

6.14

understand the use of alternative fuels, including biodiesel and alcohols derived from renewable sources such as plants, in terms of a comparison with non-renewable fossil fuels

6.15

know that a radical:

is a species with an unpaired electron and is represented in mechanisms by a single dot

is formed by homolytic fission of a covalent bond and results in the formation of radicals

6.16

understand the reactions of alkanes with:

oxygen in air, combustion

halogens, in terms of the mechanism of radical substitution through initiation, propagation and termination steps

6.17

understand the limitations of the use of radical substitution reactions in the synthesis of organic molecules, in terms of further substitution reactions and the formation of a mixture of products

6C: Alkenes

6.18

know the general formula for alkenes

6.19

know that alkenes and cycloalkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons

6.20

understand the bonding in alkenes in terms of σ- and π-bonds

6.21

know what is meant by the term electrophile

6.22

understand the addition reactions of alkenes with:

hydrogen, in the presence of a nickel catalyst, to form an alkane

halogens to produce dihalogenoalkanes

iii

hydrogen halides to produce halogenoalkanes

steam, in the presence of an acid catalyst, to produce alcohols

potassium manganate(VII), in acid conditions, to oxidise the double bond and produce a diol

6.23

understand that heterolytic bond fission of a covalent bond results in the formation of ions

6.24

understand the mechanism of the electrophilic addition reactions between alkenes and:

halogens

hydrogen halides, including addition to unsymmetrical alkenes

iii

other given binary compounds

6.25

know the qualitative test for a C=C double bond using bromine or bromine water

6.26

know that alkenes form polymers through addition polymerisation. Be able to identify the repeat unit of an addition polymer given the monomer, and vice versa.

6.27

know that waste polymers can be separated into specific types of polymer for:

recycling

incineration to release energy

iii

use as a feedstock for cracking

6.28

understand, in terms of the use of energy and resources over the life cycle of polymer products, that chemists can contribute to the more sustainable use of materials

6.29

understand how chemists limit the problems caused by polymer disposal by:

developing biodegradable polymers

removing toxic waste gases caused by incineration of plastics

6D: Halogenoalkanes

6.30

know that halogenoalkanes can be classified as primary, secondary or tertiary

6.31

understand what is meant by the term nucleophile

6.32

understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with:

aqueous potassium hydroxide to produce alcohols, where the hydroxide ion acts as a nucleophile

aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol, where water acts as a nucleophile

iii

potassium cyanide to produce nitriles, where the cyanide ion acts as a nucleophile

ammonia to produce primary amines, where the ammonia molecule acts as a nucleophile

ethanolic potassium hydroxide to produce alkenes, where the hydroxide ion acts as a base

6.33

understand that experimental observations and data can be used to compare the relative rates of hydrolysis of primary, secondary and tertiary halogenoalkanes, and chloro-, bromo-, and iodoalkanes, using aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol. Core Practical 4: Investigation of the rates of hydrolysis of some halogenoalkanes.

6.34

know the trend in reactivity of primary, secondary and tertiary halogenoalkanes

6.35

understand, in terms of bond enthalpy, the trend in reactivity of chloro-, bromo-, and iodoalkanes

6.36

understand the mechanisms of the nucleophilic substitution reactions between primary halogenoalkanes and aqueous potassium hydroxide, and ammonia

6E: Alcohols

6.37

know that alcohols can be classified as primary, secondary or tertiary

6.38

understand the reactions of alcohols with:

oxygen in air, combustion

halogenating agents, including PCl₅, 50% concentrated sulfuric acid and potassium bromide, and red phosphorus and iodine

iii

potassium dichromate(VI) in dilute sulfuric acid to oxidise primary alcohols to aldehydes and carboxylic acids, and secondary alcohols to ketones

concentrated phosphoric acid to form alkenes by elimination

6.39

understand the following techniques used in the preparation and purification of a liquid organic compound:

heating under reflux

extraction with a solvent in a separating funnel

iii

distillation

drying with an anhydrous salt

boiling temperature determination

Specification Coverage

Topic 6 Organic Chemistry I – Edexcel A Level Chemistry

The following specification points outline the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate for Topic 6.

6A: Introduction to organic chemistry

6.1

know that a hydrocarbon is a compound of hydrogen and carbon only

6.2

be able to represent organic molecules using empirical formulae, molecular formulae, general formulae, structural formulae, displayed formulae and skeletal formulae

6.3

know what is meant by the terms homologous series and functional group

6.4

6.5

be able to classify reactions as addition, elimination, substitution, oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis or polymerisation

6.6

understand the term structural isomerism and determine the possible structural, displayed and skeletal formulae of an organic molecule, given its molecular formula

6.7

understand the term stereoisomerism, as illustrated by E/Z isomerism, including cis-trans isomerism where two of the substituent groups are the same

6B: Alkanes

6.8

know the general formula for alkanes

6.9

know that alkanes and cycloalkanes are saturated hydrocarbons

6.10

understand that alkane fuels are obtained from the fractional distillation, cracking and reforming of crude oil

6.11

know that pollutants, including carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and sulfur, carbon particulates and unburned hydrocarbons, are formed during the combustion of alkane fuels

6.12

understand the problems arising from pollutants from the combustion of fuels, limited to the toxicity of carbon monoxide and the acidity of oxides of nitrogen and sulfur

6.13

understand how the use of a catalytic converter solves some problems caused by pollutants

6.14

understand the use of alternative fuels, including biodiesel and alcohols derived from renewable sources such as plants, in terms of a comparison with non-renewable fossil fuels

6.15

know that a radical:

is a species with an unpaired electron and is represented in mechanisms by a single dot

is formed by homolytic fission of a covalent bond and results in the formation of radicals

6.16

understand the reactions of alkanes with:

oxygen in air, combustion

halogens, in terms of the mechanism of radical substitution through initiation, propagation and termination steps

6.17

understand the limitations of the use of radical substitution reactions in the synthesis of organic molecules, in terms of further substitution reactions and the formation of a mixture of products

6C: Alkenes

6.18

know the general formula for alkenes

6.19

know that alkenes and cycloalkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons

6.20

understand the bonding in alkenes in terms of σ- and π-bonds

6.21

know what is meant by the term electrophile

6.22

understand the addition reactions of alkenes with:

hydrogen, in the presence of a nickel catalyst, to form an alkane

halogens to produce dihalogenoalkanes

iii

hydrogen halides to produce halogenoalkanes

steam, in the presence of an acid catalyst, to produce alcohols

potassium manganate(VII), in acid conditions, to oxidise the double bond and produce a diol

6.23

understand that heterolytic bond fission of a covalent bond results in the formation of ions

6.24

understand the mechanism of the electrophilic addition reactions between alkenes and:

halogens

hydrogen halides, including addition to unsymmetrical alkenes

iii

other given binary compounds

6.25

know the qualitative test for a C=C double bond using bromine or bromine water

6.26

know that alkenes form polymers through addition polymerisation. Be able to identify the repeat unit of an addition polymer given the monomer, and vice versa.

6.27

know that waste polymers can be separated into specific types of polymer for:

recycling

incineration to release energy

iii

use as a feedstock for cracking

6.28

understand, in terms of the use of energy and resources over the life cycle of polymer products, that chemists can contribute to the more sustainable use of materials

6.29

understand how chemists limit the problems caused by polymer disposal by:

developing biodegradable polymers

removing toxic waste gases caused by incineration of plastics

6D: Halogenoalkanes

6.30

know that halogenoalkanes can be classified as primary, secondary or tertiary

6.31

understand what is meant by the term nucleophile

6.32

understand the reactions of halogenoalkanes with:

aqueous potassium hydroxide to produce alcohols, where the hydroxide ion acts as a nucleophile

aqueous silver nitrate in ethanol, where water acts as a nucleophile

iii

potassium cyanide to produce nitriles, where the cyanide ion acts as a nucleophile

ammonia to produce primary amines, where the ammonia molecule acts as a nucleophile

ethanolic potassium hydroxide to produce alkenes, where the hydroxide ion acts as a base

6.33

6.34

know the trend in reactivity of primary, secondary and tertiary halogenoalkanes

6.35

understand, in terms of bond enthalpy, the trend in reactivity of chloro-, bromo-, and iodoalkanes

6.36

understand the mechanisms of the nucleophilic substitution reactions between primary halogenoalkanes and aqueous potassium hydroxide, and ammonia

6E: Alcohols

6.37

know that alcohols can be classified as primary, secondary or tertiary

6.38

understand the reactions of alcohols with:

oxygen in air, combustion

halogenating agents, including PCl₅, 50% concentrated sulfuric acid and potassium bromide, and red phosphorus and iodine

iii

potassium dichromate(VI) in dilute sulfuric acid to oxidise primary alcohols to aldehydes and carboxylic acids, and secondary alcohols to ketones

concentrated phosphoric acid to form alkenes by elimination

6.39

understand the following techniques used in the preparation and purification of a liquid organic compound:

heating under reflux

extraction with a solvent in a separating funnel

iii

distillation

drying with an anhydrous salt

boiling temperature determination

Topic 6OrganicChemistry I

Revision Notes

Topic 6 Organic Chemistry I – Edexcel A Level Chemistry

6A: Introduction to organic chemistry

6B: Alkanes

6C: Alkenes

6D: Halogenoalkanes

6E: Alcohols

Topic 6 Organic Chemistry I – Edexcel A Level Chemistry

6A: Introduction to organic chemistry

6B: Alkanes

6C: Alkenes

6D: Halogenoalkanes

6E: Alcohols

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Topic 6
Organic
Chemistry I