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Chemistry 3.5 Describe aspects of organic chemistry

Subject content

Revise principles of organic chemistry from level 2 AS90309 and check out Auckland University's site Bestchoice For Chemistry. Select Course 13, Option Organic AS2.5. This is a free site, but note that there is a requirement that you login.

The Bestchoice site is also excellent for the content required for level 3.

In addition, a recommended site for this standard is the Chemguide site also found in the links section. The site has three organic sections, each of which contains essential information on bonding, naming, isomerism, reaction mechanisms, polymers, and reagents.

In the examination you may be assessed on any of the following aspects of organic chemistry:

• structures of organic compounds including constitutional structural isomers and enantiomers.

You should be able to use the terms cis, trans, enantiomers, optical, geometric and chiral.

• naming of organic compounds using IUPAC conventions
• physical properties of organic compounds.
• reactions of organic compounds.

Organic compounds are limited to those containing one or more of the following functional groups:

• alkene
• haloalkane (primary, secondary, and tertiary)
• amine
• alcohol (primary, secondary, and tertiary)
• aldehyde
• ketone
• ester
• carboxylic acid
• acyl chloride
• amide.

You should be able to distinguish between all of these, also name and draw compounds of these groups containing eight or less carbons. You may also have to recognise the above functional groups in more complex compounds.

Physical properties of organic compounds are limited to:

• solubility
• melting and boiling points
• rotation of plane-polarised light.

Reactions of organic compounds may include:

• prior knowledge of combustion and addition reactions (including of an asymmetric alkene) may be required to meet the criteria for Excellence
• acid-base, but limited to reactions of carboxylic acids, amines, and carboxylate and alkylammonium salts

• oxidation, but limited to reactions using the following reagents:
  MnO₄^–/H⁺      Cr₂O_7^2–/H⁺      Tollens'      Fehling's      Benedict's

  Use potassium dichromate, Tollens’ and Benedict’s solution to distinguish between aldehydes and ketones.

• elimination, but limited to reactions using the following reagents:
  KOH in alcohol and concentrated H₂SO₄
• substitution, (with reactions including esterification, hydrolysis, and polymerisation), but limited to reactions using the following reagents:
  
  

  concentrated HCl HBr	SOCl2	PCl3	PCl5
  NaOH	KOH (in alcohol or aqueous solution)	NH3
  primary amines	primary alcohols/H+	primary alcohols	H2O/H+
  H2O/OH–

• be prepared to write formulae and balance equations involving any of the above
• polymerisation is limited to formation of polyesters and polyamides including proteins.
• You should be able to distinguish between addition and condensation polymers (addition polymers were examined in level 2; however, may be required for Excellence in level 3).
• You should be able to identify monomers from a given polymer or construct a polymer from given monomers, and identify any byproducts of the reaction.

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