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CAIE A Level Chemistry 9701 · Organic synthesis

Organic synthesis: describe question

Describe5 marksStandard

Aspirin can be prepared from methyl salicylate, the compound responsible for the smell of wintergreen. The synthesis is carried out in two steps.

Step 1: Methyl salicylate is refluxed with an excess of aqueous sodium hydroxide. The product is then acidified to give salicylic acid (2-hydroxybenzenecarboxylic acid).

Step 2: Salicylic acid is warmed with ethanoic anhydride in the presence of a little concentrated sulfuric acid.

Describe the type of reaction occurring in each step and the reagents and conditions used. State the functional group present in methyl salicylate that reacts in Step 1. For Step 2, name the organic product and state the functional group that is formed in it.

0 words · 5 marks

No account needed for your first marks. Your answer is used only to mark it.

How this question is marked

5 marks, so the mark scheme is looking for about 5 separate creditworthy points. Making the same point twice in different words earns it once.

Describe means: Say what happens or what something is like, in order and with detail. You are not being asked why. If there is data, quote it: name the trend, then give figures with units at the points where it changes.

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