Arenes past paper questions

Chemistry 9701 · Hydrocarbons. 1 describe the chemistry of arenes as exemplified by the following reactions of benzene and methylbenzene: (a) substitution reactions with Cl ₂ and with Br₂ in the presence of a catalyst, Al Cl ₃ or Al Br₃, to form halogenoarenes (aryl halides) (b) nitration with a mixture of concentrated HNO₃ and concentrated H₂SO₄ at a temperature between 25 °C and 60 °C (c) Friedel–Crafts alkylation by CH₃Cl and Al Cl ₃ and heat (d) Friedel–Crafts acylation by CH₃COCl and Al Cl ₃ and heat (e) complete oxidation of the side-chain using hot alkaline KMnO₄ and then dilute acid to give a benzoic acid (f) hydrogenation of the benzene ring using H₂ and Pt/Ni catalyst and heat to form a cyclohexane ring 2 describe the mechanism of electrophilic substitution in arenes: (a) as exemplified by the formation of nitrobenzene and bromobenzene (b) with regards to the effect of delocalisation (aromatic stabilisation) of electrons in arenes to explain the predomination of substitution over addition 3 predict whether halogenation will occur in the side-chain or in the aromatic ring in arenes depending on reaction conditions 4 describe that in the electrophilic substitution of arenes, different substituents direct to different ring positions (limited to the directing effects of –NH₂, –OH, –R, –NO₂, –COOH and –COR)

It came up in 1 of 139 papers, for about 1 marks a paper when it does. It last came up in October/November 2025.

1 question, newest first

9701/22/O/N/25 Question 3 part (e(i)) · 1 mark

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