CAIE A Level Chemistry 9701 · Nitrogen compounds
A student prepares a nitrile by reacting 1-bromopropane with potassium cyanide in ethanol and heating the mixture. The nitrile is then hydrolysed with dilute aqueous sodium hydroxide followed by acidification, producing a carboxylic acid.
Explain the steps involved in this preparation and in the hydrolysis, including the conditions and the functional group changes that occur.
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.
Written by Markquill to follow the Cambridge International syllabus. Markquill is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge International.