Carboxylic acids: past paper questions

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• Question 35May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which reaction has ethanoic acid as one of the products?

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• Question 34Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Three mixtures are heated under reflux. Which mixtures will produce sodium propanoate as one product?

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• Question 26Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Compound Z has the molecular formula ${\text{C}}_4{\text{H}}_8{\text{O}}_2$. Compound Z reacts with propan-1-ol in the presence of concentrated ${\text{H}}_2{\text{SO}}_4$.

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• Question 33Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Propanoic acid can be used to make propene by a two-stage synthesis. Which row shows suitable reagents for this synthesis?

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• Question 36May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Primary alcohols are produced from carboxylic acids. $$\text{RCOOH}+4[\text{H}]\to {\text{RCH}}_2\text{OH}+{\text{H}}_2\text{O}$$ Which statement about this reaction is correct?

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The table shows the reagents and products of three reactions.

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• Question 38Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  $({\text{CH}}_3{)}_3\text{CCN}$ reacts to form alcohol Y via the reaction sequence shown.

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Three equations are shown.

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• Question 37May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Three equations are shown.

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• Question 32Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which reaction mixture produces a primary alcohol as the major product?

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  ${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{O}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{H}}_3$ is reacted with aqueous acid. The products from this reaction are reacted with ${\mathrm{L}\mathrm{i}\mathrm{A}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{H}}_4$ to form two molecules Y and Z. What are the identities of molecules Y and Z?

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• Question 36May/June 2023, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Which method could produce butanoic acid?

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• Question 34May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Two reactions are described. 1 Ethanoic acid reacts with methanol. 2 Ethanoic acid reacts with sodium carbonate.

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• Question 36Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which organic starting material could be used in a single reaction to produce propanoic acid?

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A sample of propanoic acid of mass $3.70\text{ g}$ reacts with an excess of magnesium. A second sample of propanoic acid of mass $3.70\text{ g}$ reacts with an excess of sodium. Both reactions go to completion forming a gas.

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• Question 27May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Compound X, ${\text{C}}_5{\text{H}}_{10}{\text{O}}_3$, has one chiral carbon atom per molecule. Compound X produces bubbles with $\text{Na}$ but not with ${\text{Na}}_2{\text{CO}}_3$. Which formula could represent compound X?

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• Question 35May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Compound Z has the structural formula ${\text{CH}}_3{\text{CO}}_2{\text{CH}}_2{\text{CH}}_2{\text{CO}}_2\text{H}$. What is produced when compound Z is heated for 30 minutes with an excess of aqueous sodium hydroxide?

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• Question 37Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  In four separate reactions, W, X, Y and Z, $1\text{ mol}$ of an organic compound reacts with an excess of a reagent.

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• Question 38May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Which reaction will form propanoic acid?

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• Question 32May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Propanoic acid is used to make propene in two steps. What are the reagents for step 1 and step 2?

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• Question 37May/June 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  P is a carboxylic acid with molecular formula ${\text{C}}_5{\text{H}}_{10}{\text{O}}_2$.

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• Question 39May/June 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Lactide is an intermediate in the manufacture of a synthetic fibre. Which compound, on heating with an acid catalyst, can produce lactide?

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• Question 35May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Compound Y has the molecular formula ${\text{C}}_4{\text{H}}_6{\text{O}}_2$ and reacts with $\text{Na}$ but not with ${\text{Na}}_2{\text{CO}}_3$. On warming Y with Fehling’s reagent, followed by acidification, the organic product reacts with both $\text{Na}$ and ${\text{Na}}_2{\text{CO}}_3$.

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• Question 30May/June 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  1 mole of each of the following four compounds is reacted separately with: ● an excess of sodium ● an excess of sodium carbonate. Which compound produces the same volume of gas with each of the two reagents?

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• Question 1May/June 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Propanoic acid is treated with reagent X at room temperature. The organic product of the reaction is sodium propanoate. No gas is produced during the reaction.

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• Question 4May/June 2026, paper 21Structured9 marksHas a diagram

  Compound Z is oxidised to produce organic compound W, ${\mathrm{C}}_5{\mathrm{H}}_6{\mathrm{O}}_7$, by heating under reflux with an excess of acidified ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{r}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7^{2-}(\mathrm{a}\mathrm{q})$. Describe the colour change in this reaction.

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• Question 6May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  P is a compound that burns in an excess of oxygen to give carbon dioxide and water only.

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• Question 35May/June 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Which substance reacts with ethanoic acid to give the organic product with the highest $M_{\text{r}}$?

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• Question 3May/June 2023, paper 22Structured8 marksHas a diagram

  Fig. 3.1 describes a sequence of reactions that can be used to produce a food additive, compound $\mathbf{Y}$, from ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{H}}_3{\mathrm{C}\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{C}\mathrm{l}$.

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• Question 25May/June 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Three reagents are listed. 1 aqueous sodium carbonate 2 ${\text{LiAlH}}_4$ 3 water Which reagents react with pure ethanoic acid to give a solution containing ethanoate ions?

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