CAIE A Level Chemistry 9701 · Organic synthesis
A student plans to prepare cyclohexanol from cyclohexene. The proposed route is:
Step 1: cyclohexene is shaken with cold, concentrated sulfuric acid. Step 2: the mixture is then warmed with water.
Explain why Step 1 is carried out first rather than simply warming cyclohexene directly with water, and state the type of reaction occurring in each step. Suggest a by-product that could form in the reaction mixture, and explain how it arises.
6 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 6 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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