All Functional groups articles
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CPDTeaching organic chemistry post-16
Introduce the study of molecules containing carbon atoms to your students with these many different contexts
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Soundbite
Battle of the hand sanitisers
Are quaternary ammonium compounds just as good at killing Covid-19 as alcohols?
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Ideas
4 ways to boost students’ understanding of organic chemistry
Alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters don’t have to be difficult – try these practical tips in your classroom
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Resource
The chemistry of chemical weapons
In this activity you will look at the chemistry behind a number of chemical weapons that have been employed throughout history
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Resource
Essential chemistry of pharmaceuticals
Explore the role of chemistry in drug discovery with this worksheet
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Feature
Why you need A-level chemistry to study pharmacy
Why chemistry is essential to understand and manufacture safe, effective medicines
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Resource
Compounds with amine groups starters (16–18)
Assess your students’ awareness of compounds with amines groups with a Starter for ten activity covering classifying amines and amides, properties of amines, amino acids among other amine subjects.
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Resource
Carbonyl chemistry starters (16–18)
Consolidate your students’ knowledge of the synthesis and reactions of carbonyl compounds using these Starter for ten questions.
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Resource
Organic chemistry starters (16–18)
Starter for ten questions covering some of the main aspects of organic chemistry at GCSE and A level, including functional groups, nomenclature, isomerism and mechanisms
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Experiment
Brady’s test for aldehydes and ketones
Identify aldehydes and ketones using Brady’s reagent (2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine) in this microscale experiment. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
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Resource
Organic liquid quizzes
Find out more about our quizzes to support key practical skills for organic chemistry, and watch the associated videos. The quizzes consist of 10 questions in each section and focus on providing formative feedback to students. The range of question types includes text response, numerical response, drag and drop and ...
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Resource
Teach functional groups
To illustrate the differences in reactivity of isomeric alcohols, try using the iodoform demonstration in the video. Follow the discussion scenario in sequence for tips to help your students understand a difficult concept in carbon chemistry.
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Resource
Designing an organic synthesis
View a summary of how to approach the synthesis of an organic compound, focussing on the construction of key bonds. Follow an example multistep synthesis using standard organic transformations, answering questions along the way. This page is suitable for students beginning organic chemistry. Designing an organic synthesis This ...
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Resource
Which Compound? Which Route?
This exercise leads students through the decision-making process when choosing which new drug substance to make and the best synthetic route.
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Resource
Chemistry Vignettes: Mechanisms of Esters/Amides
A series of short screencast videos to introduce synthetic mechanisms
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Experiment
Oxidation of ethanol
In this class practical, ethanol is oxidised by acidified sodium dichromate to form ethanal and then ethanoic acid. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
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Experiment
Dehydration of ethanol to form ethene
Use this class practical or demonstration to produce ethene gas as an example of an unsaturated hydrocarbon. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
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Experiment
Making esters from alcohols and acids
Investigate the reactions between a range of alcohols and acids by producing a variety of esters in this class experiment. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
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Experiment
Cracking hydrocarbons on a microscale
Use this microscale experiment to illustrate hydrocarbon cracking using paraffin, bromine water and aluminium oxide. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
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Experiment
The properties of alcohols
Ethanol and propan-1-ol are tested for pH, reaction with sodium, combustion and oxidation with acidified dichromate(VI) solution. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
