Doc Brown's Chemistry

OCR GCE AS CHEMISTRY OCR A Level GCE A2 Chemistry A H434

My unofficial support for this OCR GCE A Level A2 Advanced   Chemistry Syllabus-Specification. Scroll down and each module, topic or unit of the specification is linked to potentially useful sections on this site.

OCR AS Chemistry A * Salters AS Chemistry B * Salters A2 Chemistry B * OCR GCSE 21st Century Science-Chemistry * OCR GCSE Gateway Science-Chemistry * OCR GCSE Applied Science-Chemistry (double award)

 READ CAREFULLY  My 'A level' chemistry notes are far from complete BUT by clicking on the links for [ORGANIC], [INORGANIC], [PHYSICAL-THEORETICAL] and [useful UK based GCSE/IGCSE revision notes] you should find things to help on a particular topic.  By following a link you will find some useful information and use the sub-indexes of key words or headings at the top of each page. To return to this page click on the <== back on the browser link bar. All the syllabus-topic-unit titles are taken from the official syllabus. I do not have time to deliver extended responses to email questions and do NOT ask for past papers. * EMAIL query?comment

Summary of OCR GCE A Level A2 Chemistry Units and Contents Links

Unit F324 Rings, Polymers and Analysis

Module 4.1 Rings, Acids and Amines: 4.1.1 Arenes * 4.1.2 Carbonyl Compounds * 4.1.3 Carboxylic Acids and Esters * 4.1.4 Amines

Module 4.2 Polymers and Synthesis: 4.2.1 Amino Acids and Proteins * 4.2.2 Polyesters and Polyamides * 4.2.3 Synthesis

Module 4.3 Analysis: 4.3.1 Chromatography * 4.3.2 Spectroscopy

Unit F325 Equilibria, Energetics and Elements

Module 5.1 Rates, Equilibrium and pH: 5.1.1 How fast? * 5.1.2 How far? * 5.1.3 Acids, Bases and Buffers

Module 5.2 Energy: 5.2.1 Lattice Enthalpy * 5.2.2 Enthalpy and Entropy * 5.2.3 Electrode Potentials and Fuel Cells

Module 5.3 Transition Elements: 5.3.1 Transition Elements

F326: Practical Skills in Chemistry 2

Unit F324 Rings, Polymers and Analysis (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

Module 4.1 Rings, Acids and Amines (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

4.1.1 Arenes (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Notes on the Structure and Naming of Aromatic Compounds

2. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of Aromatic Compounds

3. Ex. 1. Matching pair Quiz on hydrocarbon structure

4. Enthalpies of hydrogenation as evidence for benzene ring structure in section 1.4d

5.  MECHANISMS AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS - introduction to arene electrophilic substitution mechanisms links to various reactions including equation and reaction conditions

6.  Mechanism: Aromatic hydrocarbons - arene introduction to electrophilic substitution and nitration to form nitro-aromatic compounds (basic equation, reagents and reaction conditions given)

7.  Mechanism: Aromatic hydrocarbons - arene electrophilic substitution chlorination to give halogenoarenes 

4.1.2 Carbonyl Compounds (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Revision notes on the Structure and Naming of Carbonyl Compounds Aldehydes and Ketones

2. Organic synthesis redox reactions - including oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes/ketones/carboxylic acids, reduction of aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids to alcohols (use top summary table indexes and links)

3.  Mechanism: Carbonyl compounds - aldehydes/ketones addition of hydrogen - reduction with LiAlH₄ or NaBH₄ to give an alcohol (includes reagents, reaction conditions and exemplar balanced equations showing product formation)

4. Qualitative Analysis: Tests for organic functional groups notes (use alphabetical index for homologous series, reagents etc.) (alphabetical keyword index at top of page)

4.1.3 Carboxylic Acids and Esters (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Revision notes on the structure and naming of CARBOXYLIC ACIDS and DERIVATIVES

2. Multiple choice Quiz on the Structure and naming of CARBOXYLIC ACIDS & DERIVATIVES

3. Type in name Quiz on the nomenclature of CARBOXYLIC ACIDS & DERIVATIVES

4. Ex. 4. Matching pair Quiz on aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acid and ester structure

5. Ex. 5 Matching pair quiz on organic molecular structure (combination of Ex. 1., 2. and 4.)

6. Extra GCSE Organic Chemistry Notes - preparation of an ester (in section 4a)

7. Extra GCSE Organic Chemistry Notes - reactions of carboxylic acids with bases and carbonates (exemplified by ethanoic acid)

8. Extra GCSE Organic Chemistry Notes - fats and oils (a few basic ideas in section 5c)

4.1.4 Amines (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Revision notes on the Structure, Classification and Naming of Organic Nitrogen Compounds, including nomenclature of isomers

2. Reduction of nitro-aromatic compounds to aromatic amines for dyestuffs industry in section 8.5

3.  Mechanism: Halogenoalkanes (haloalkanes, alkyl halides) Nucleophilic substitution by ammonia or primary amine to make amines (includes reagents, reaction conditions and exemplar balanced equations showing product formation)

Module 4.2 Polymers and Synthesis (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

4.2.1 Amino Acids and Proteins (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1.  Organic Chemistry (2) STEREOISOMERISM general definition (use sub-index at top of page)

2.  Organic Chemistry (2a) Geometrical Isomerism (E/Z) was called cis/trans) (use sub-index at top of page)

3.  Organic Chemistry (2b) Optical Isomerism (R/S isomerism) (use sub-index at top of page)

4.  Some notes on amino acids-proteins-polypeptides-enzymes

4.2.2 Polyesters and Polyamides (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Extra GCSE Organic Chemistry Notes - An introduction to comparing polymer structure addition and condensation polymers (sections 4b and 4c and see also polyalkenes on GCSE Oil Products Notes

2. Revision notes on the Structure, Classification and Naming of Organic Nitrogen Compounds (examples of polyamide and polypeptide structure)

4.2.3 Synthesis (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. A summary of homologous series, functional group names and structure in Organic Chemistry (look for 'general formulae' and links to organic molecular structure and nomenclature/naming pages)

2. General QUIZ on type of Organic Molecule Recognition based on examples of structure and recognition of functional groups, including isomers, so the quiz is mainly on recognition of types of molecules and their

3.  Organic Chemistry (2b) Optical Isomerism and chiral auxiliary synthesis in the pharmaceutical industry) (Case study 2b.4)

4. A set of jumbled of molecules and reagents to arrange as a viable synthesis route (a little 'experimental Q'!)

Module 4.3 Analysis (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

4.3.1 Chromatography (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Methods of separating mixtures including paper chromatography and t.l.c. (basic revision notes)

2. Extra GCSE Industrial Chemistry Notes includes section on glc gas-liquid chromatography (section 6.)

 4.3.2 Spectroscopy (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. SIMPLE introductory NMR problem solving with % composition and infra-red absorption data

Unit F325 Equilibria, Energetics and Elements

Module 5.1 Rates, Equilibrium and pH (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

5.1.1 How fast? (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. KINETICS - advanced rates of reactions revision notes: temperature effect and activation energy, homogeneous catalysts and heterogeneous catalysts, obtaining data, rate expressions and orders of reaction, deducing orders of reaction

2.  Mechanism: Halogenoalkanes (haloalkanes/alkyl halides) Nucleophilic substitution by water/hydroxide ion [S_N1 or S_N2, hydrolysis to alcohol] (introduction to, and example of, nucleophilic substitution in halogenoalkanes) (includes reagents, reaction conditions and exemplar balanced equations showing product formation) AND  extra notes on kinetics, rds, molecularity, activated complex etc.

5.1.2 How far? (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Equilibria Part 1. Dynamic molecular equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle

2. Equilibria Part 2 K_c and K_p equilibrium expressions and calculations

3. Equilibria Part 3 equilibrium and industrial processes

5.1.3 Acids, Bases and Buffers (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Equilibria Part 5 pH, weak-strong acid-base theory (Lewis and Bronsted-Lowry) and K_a, k_b and K_w equilibrium calculations advanced notes

2. Equilibria Part 6 Salt hydrolysis, Acid-base titrations-indicators, pH curves and buffers

Module 5.2 Energy (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

5.2.1 Lattice Enthalpy (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Thermodynamics Part 2 ΔH Enthalpies of ion hydration, solution, atomisation, lattice energy, electron affinity and the Born-Haber cycle

5.2.2 Enthalpy and Entropy (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Thermodynamics Part 3 ΔS Entropy and ΔG Free Energy Changes

5.2.3 Electrode Potentials and Fuel Cells (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. Revision notes on Inorganic redox reactions - Part 1 includes introduction to electronegativity, explaining oxidation and reduction reactions and oxidation state/oxidation number changes

2. Revision notes on Inorganic redox reactions - Part 2 analysing and constructing full redox equations from half-cell reactions

3. Equilibrium Part 7 Redox equilibria, half-cell electrode potentials, predicting feasibility of a reaction, electrolysis, electrochemical series and ΔG free energy changes (use top index)

Module 5.3 Transition Elements

5.3.1 Transition Elements (OCR A level A2 chemistry)

1. INORGANIC Part 10 3d block TRANSITION METALS sub-index: 10.1-10.2 Introduction 3d-block Transition Metals * 10.3 Scandium * 10.4 Titanium * 10.5 Vanadium * 10.6 Chromium * 10.7 Manganese * 10.8 Iron * 10.9  Cobalt * 10.10 Nickel * 10.11 Copper * 10.12 Zinc * 10.13 Other Transition Metals e.g. Ag and Pt *

2. TRANSITION METALS continued: Appendix 1. Hydrated salts, acidity of hexa-aqua ions * Appendix 2. Complexes & ligands * Appendix 3. Complexes and isomerism * Appendix 4. Electron configuration & colour theory * Appendix 5. Redox equations, feasibility, E^ø * Appendix 6. Catalysis * Appendix 7. Redox equations * Appendix 8. Stability Constants and entropy changes * Appendix 9. Colorimetric analysis and complex ion formula * Extra Appendix 10 3d block - extended data * Appendix 11 Some 3d-block compounds, complexes, oxidation states & electrode potential chart * Appendix 12 Hydroxide complex precipitate 'pictures', formulae and equations

F326: Practical Skills in Chemistry 2

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