CAIE A Level Chemistry 9701 · Carbonyl compounds

Carbonyl compounds: explain question

Explain4 marksStandard

Propanone reacts with hydrogen cyanide, HCN, in the presence of potassium cyanide, KCN, and heat to form a hydroxynitrile.

Explain why the reaction of propanone with hydrogen cyanide is described as a nucleophilic addition reaction.

How this question is marked

4 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 4 separate creditworthy points. Making the same point twice in different words earns it once.

Explain means: Give the reasons or the mechanism: why or how something happens. Link each point to the next with because, so or which means. A list of facts with no links usually loses the reasoning marks.

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