HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 6/LQ/PAGE 1

Section 6 Important Products from Petroleum

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1987 Q.2(a)

Liquid X is one of the following compounds:

CH3CO2H CH2=CHCH2OH CH3CH2OH

A B C

The following experiments are carried out to study the reactions of X:

Experiment Procedure Observation

I Add sodium to X.
II Add X to an acidified solution of potassium
dichromate, and shake the mixture.
III Add X to a solution of bromine in
tetrachloromethane.
Effervescence occurs.
The orange solution turns green.
The orange solution becomes
colourless.

(i) Which of the three compounds A, B and C would give rise to the observation in
(1) experiment I?
(2) experiment II?
(3) experiment III?
Explain your answer in each case.
(ii) Based on your answers in (i), state which compound is X.
(iii) Name the type of reaction that occurs in experiment III. Write an appropriate equation.
(iv) State ONE safety precaution necessary when carrying out experiment I in the laboratory.
(10 marks)
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1987 Q.4(a)

The flowchart below represents the hydrolysis of an ester A, followed by the separation of the
products:

(i) Write an equation for the hydrolysis of A.

(ii) Give IUPAC names for X and Y.
(iii) Draw a labelled diagram of the apparatus you would set up in the laboratory for refluxing A
with aqueous sodium hydroxide.
(iv) Why can Y be separated from X by distillation?
(v) Explain why A is hydrolyzed in an alkaline medium rather than in an acidic medium.
(vi) Briefly outline how soap is manufactured and write an appropriate equation.
(11 marks)
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1987 Q.5(b)

The structure of four carbon compounds are shown below:

 HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 6/LQ/PAGE 2

(i) Which two of the above compounds would form a condensation polymer? Draw the simplest
repeating unit for this polymer.
(ii) Which one of the above compounds would undergo addition polymerization? Write an
equation for the polymerization reaction.
(iii) In the manufacture of electrical sockets, which of the polymers from (i) or (ii) should be
used? Explain your choice.
(iv) In the manufacture of plastic pipes,
(1) which of the polymers from (i) or (ii) should be used?
(2) what type of moulding method is most suitable? (out of syllabus)
(7/8 marks)
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1988 Q.4(a)

(i) Write an equation to represent the polymerization of propene to form polypropene.

(ii) When polypropene is strongly heated, the gaseous monomer can be obtained.
(1) Draw a labelled diagram of the set-up you would use in the laboratory for heating
polypropene and collecting the gaseous monomer.
(2) State one potential hazard in this experiment, and suggest how it can be prevented.
(iii) A new polymer can be obtained by polymerizing ethene and propene together.
(1) Draw the structure of a repeating unit for this polymer.
(2) Would you expect this polymer to be thermoplastic or thermosetting? Explain your
answer.
(3) In the plastics industry, products made from this new polymer can be recycled. Suggest
one way of doing this.
(10 marks)
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1989 Q.1(b)

The properties of four carbon compounds A to D are shown in the table below:

Carbon Melting Boiling Solubility in water Products of complete combustion

compound point (°C) point (°C)
A -205 -190 insoluble CO2 only
B -182 -162 insoluble CO2 and H2O
C 8 101 soluble does not burn
D -98 65 soluble CO2 and H2O

(i) Which of the four compounds could be

(1) an alcohol?
(2) a hydrocarbon?
Explain your answer in each case.
(ii) Which one of the remaining compounds could be a carboxylic acid? Suggest a chemical test
for this compound and write an ionic equation for the reaction involved.
(7 marks)
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1989 Q.2(b)

A dilute solution of ethanol was produced by adding yeast to an aqueous solution of glucose
(C6H12O6), and allowing the mixture to stand in the laboratory for a few days, as shown in the set-
up below:
 HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 6/LQ/PAGE 3

(i) What would happen to the liquid level inside the long glass tube one day after the yeast had
been added? Explain your answer.
(ii) (1) Write an equation for the reaction occurring in the conical flask.
(2) Name the process involved, and explain the function of yeast in this process.
(iii) The above set-up could only produce a dilute solution of ethanol, even over a prolonged
period.
(1) Suggest a reason for this.
(2) How can a more concentrated solution of ethanol be obtained from the mixture in the
conical flask?
(3) Describe briefly how you could test for the presence of alkanol in the solution obtained
in (2)?
(iv) In some agricultural countries, ethanol mixed with petrol is often used as a fuel for motor
vehicles.
(1) Suggest an advantage of this practice.
(2) Explain whether such a fuel would cause more pollution problems than using petrol
alone.
(12 marks)
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1989 Q.4(b)

PVC, made by the polymerization of chloroethene, is often in the manufacture of drainage pipes
and plastic bags.

(i) Write an equation for this polymerization.

(ii) Calculate the number of repeating units in this polymer if it has a relative molecular mass of
40000.
(Relative atomic masses: H=1.0, C=12.0, Cl=35.5)
(iii) (1) Name an appropriate moulding method for manufacturing PVC drainage pipes. (out of
syllabus)
(2) How could a length of straight PVC pipe be bent to fit the desired curvature in a
particular drainage system? Explain your answer.
(iv) Used PVC bags are usually destroyed by burning in incinerators. However, this would cause
serious pollution problems.
(1) Give TWO pollutants that could be produced during this process.
(2) How could the release of these pollutants be minimized? Explain your answers.
(11/12 marks)
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1990 Q.1(a)

The table below describes some reactions of liquid propan-1-ol:

Experiment
1. Propan-1-ol is heated with acidified
potassium permanganate solution.
2. A mixture of propan-1-ol and substance X
is heated with concentrated sulphuric acid.
3. Propan-1-ol is heated and the vapour
passed over heated broken porcelain.
Result
Substance X is formed. X produces
effervescence with sodium carbonate solution.
A sweet smelling liquid Y is formed.
Gas Z is produced.
 HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 6/LQ/PAGE 4

(i) Name X. Write an ionic equation for the reaction of X with sodium carbonate solution.
(ii) Write an equation for the formation of Y. Suggest TWO functions of the concentrated
sulphuric acid in experiment 2.
(iii) Draw a diagram to indicate how experiment 3 can be carried out in the laboratory, and how
gas Z should be collected.
(iv) Z can undergo addition polymerization to form a polymer.
(1) Name the polymer formed and draw the repeating unit.
(2) State one household article that can be made from the polymer.
Briefly describe how this articles can be manufactured. (out of syllabus)
(11/13 marks)
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1990 Q.3(b)

The formula of a weak alkanoic acid can be represented by

CnH2n+1CO2H (where n is an integer).

A sample of the alkanoic acid weighing 0.355 g was dissolved in about 20 cm3 of water in a
conical flask. The solution was then titrated against a 0.180 M sodium hydroxide solution. A total
of 22.40 dm3 of the alkali was required for complete neutralization.

(i) Explain the meaning of the term ‘weak acid’.

(ii) Describe how the end-point in this titration can be determined.
(iii) Calculate
(1) the number of moles of sodium hydroxide used for the titration.
(2) the relative molecular mass of the alkanoic acid.
(iv) (1) Deduce the molecular formula of the alkanoic acid.
(2) Draw TWO molecular structures for the alkanoic acid. (out of syllabus)
(Relative atomic masses: H=1.0, C=12.0, O=16.0)
(10/12 marks)
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1990 Q.5(b)

A student heated a mixture of aqueous sodium hydroxide and ethyl ethanoate for some time using
the following set-up:

(i) (1) Name the type of reaction that took place. Write an appropriate equation for the
reaction.
(2) What would be observed when the reaction was complete?
(3) Give an industrial application of this type of reaction.
(ii) What is the function of the ‘cold finger’?
(iii) State a potential hazard in the set-up shown above.
(iv) The quantity of the products obtained in this experiment was much less than that expected.
(1) Give an explanation for this.
(2) Draw a labelled diagram of a completely different set-up to illustrate how the quantity of
the products can be increased by using the same quantities of reactants.
(9 marks)
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 HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 6/LQ/PAGE 5

1991 Q.1(b)

A vegetable oil, X, can undergo reversible hydrolysis in the presence of sulphuric acid as given by
the following equation:

(i) Write the structural formula of X.

(ii) What is the function of sulphuric acid in this reaction?

X can be hydrolyzed more effectively by using sodium hydroxide solution instead of sulphuric
acid, and the products are propane-1,2,3-triol and Y.

(iii) Name this process.

(iv) Write the structural formula of Y.
(v) Using the concept of chemical equilibrium, explain why the use of sodium hydroxide solution
is more effective. (out of syllabus)

When a solution of Y is slowly added, with stirring, to a mixture of peanut oil and water, a milky
solution is obtained.

(vi) Based on the structural formula of Y, explain why a milky solution is formed.
(vi) Name the process leading to the formation of the milky solution and suggest one domestic
application of this process.
(10/12 marks)
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1991 Q.2(b)

The following diagrams show three plastic items. The universal adaptor is made of thermosetting
plastic while the other two are made of thermoplastics.

(i) Explain why thermoplastics are not suitable for making universal adaptors.
(ii) The foam lunch box is made from a plastic containing a trapped gas. Name the plastic that is
commonly used and state the purpose of trapping a gas within the plastic.
(iii) (1) Name a plastic that is commonly used to make food wrap, and write an equation to show
the formation of the plastic from its monomer.
(2) State the moulding method used to make food wrap. (out of syllabus)
(5/6 marks)
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1992 Q.3(a)

Fermentation of cooked rice produces an alcoholic drink which contains about 8% of ethanol.

(i) Describe briefly how such fermentation can be carried out in the laboratory.
(ii) How can the alcoholic drink be concentrated so as to raise its ethanol content to about 30%?
(iii) Some alcoholic drinks become sour when exposed to air for some time. Suggest a reason for
this.
 HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 6/LQ/PAGE 6

(iv) State one health hazard and one social problem associated with the excessive taking of
alcoholic drinks.
(8 marks)
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1992 Q.4(a)

(i) The structure of polymer X can be represented by the following diagram:

where represents a group containing carbon and hydrogen atoms only.

(1) Draw the structure of the monomer of X.

(2) Name an example of a polymer with the structure of X.
(3) Two separate pieces of X are strongly heated as shown in diagrams A and B below:

What would be observed in each case? Explain your answer.

(ii)
(6/9 marks)
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1993 Q.1(e)

(i) The structure of a typical anionic detergent can be represented by:

where represent a hydrocarbon tail

and represents an anionic part attached to the hydrocarbon tail.

(1) Using the above representation, draw a diagram to show how the detergent can suspend
an oil droplet in water.
(2) A table cloth stained with oil can be cleaned using the detergent in water. Explain the
cleaning action with reference to your diagram in (1).
(ii) Scientists have also developed cationic detergents for special cleaning purposes. The
structure of a typical cationic detergent is shown below:

Can anionic and cationic detergents be used together? Explain your answer.
(6 marks)
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1994 Q.3

The following diagrams show some items made of synthetic polymers.

 HKCEE PAST PAPER 87-94/SECTION 6/LQ/PAGE 7

(a) Which of the above items is most likely to be made of thermosetting plastics? Explain your
answer.
(b) Name one synthetic polymer which is suitable for making the plastic bag.
(c) Suggest a suitable moulding method used in making the electric switch.
(d) Terylene, a polyester fibre used for making the shirt is synthesized from ethane-1,2-diol,
HOCH2CH2OH and benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid, HOOCC6H4COOH.
(i) Name the type of polymerization involved in the synthesis of terylene.
(ii) Write a repeating unit of terylene.
(6 marks)
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1994 Q.6(b)

The following paragraph was taken from a student’s laboratory report:

‘A mixture of ethanol, ethanoic acid and several drops of concentrated sulphuric acid was heated
under reflux for some time. The resulting mixture was then cooled and poured into a beaker
containing some saturated sodium chloride solution.’

(i) Draw a labelled diagram of the experimental set-up used for heating the mixture under reflux.
(ii) Why is it necessary
(1) to use concentrated sulphuric acid in the above experiment?
(2) to heat the mixture under reflux?
(iii) What would be observed when the resulting mixture was poured into the saturated sodium
chloride solution?
(7 marks)
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<END OF SECTION 6>