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This final lesson brings together everything from the course. The key to success in A-Level organic chemistry is not just knowing individual reactions, but being able to link them together — predicting products, identifying reagents, drawing mechanisms, and planning multi-step syntheses.
The diagram below is a text representation of the key reaction pathways you have learned. Being able to navigate this map is essential.
Alkane ←(cracking)← Long-chain alkane (from crude oil)
Alkane →(free radical substitution, UV, X₂)→ Halogenoalkane
Alkene →(addition of HX)→ Halogenoalkane Alkene →(addition of H₂O, H₃PO₄ catalyst)→ Alcohol Alkene →(addition of H₂, Ni catalyst)→ Alkane Alkene →(addition of Br₂)→ Dihalogenoalkane Alkene →(polymerisation)→ Addition polymer
Halogenoalkane →(NaOH(aq), reflux)→ Alcohol Halogenoalkane →(KCN, ethanol/water, reflux)→ Nitrile Halogenoalkane →(NH₃ excess, ethanol, sealed tube)→ Amine Halogenoalkane →(NaOH in ethanol, reflux)→ Alkene
Alcohol (primary) →(oxidation [O], distil)→ Aldehyde →(oxidation [O], reflux)→ Carboxylic acid Alcohol (secondary) →(oxidation [O])→ Ketone Alcohol →(dehydration, conc H₂SO₄, heat)→ Alkene Alcohol + Carboxylic acid →(conc H₂SO₄ catalyst, reflux)→ Ester
Notice the interconnections: alkenes can be converted to halogenoalkanes, which can be converted to alcohols, which can be dehydrated back to alkenes. These interconversions allow you to plan synthetic routes.
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