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EnglandChemistryQuick questions

Topic 19: Organic Synthesis and Chirality

Quick questions on Organic Synthesis and Chirality (Topic 19) - Edexcel A-Level Chemistry

3short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.

What is planning a multi-step synthesis?
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Multi-step synthesis joins individual functional-group conversions into a route. Useful conversions to combine include: - alkene to alcohol (steam, H3PO4\text{H}_3\text{PO}_4 catalyst) or to haloalkane (HX); - haloalkane to alcohol (warm aqueous OH\text{OH}^-), to nitrile (ethanolic KCN\text{KCN}, adding a carbon), or to amine (excess ammonia); - nitrile to amine (LiAlH4\text{LiAlH}_4) or to carboxylic acid (acid hydrolysis); - primary alcohol to aldehyde (distil with acidified dichromate) then to acid (reflux); - acid to ester (alcohol, conc H2SO4\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4) or to acyl chloride (SOCl2\text{SOCl}_2).
What is q1?
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State what is meant by a chiral centre. [1 mark]
What is q2?
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Explain why the pharmaceutical industry prefers to use a single enantiomer of a drug. [2 marks]

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