Naming organic compounds: past paper questions
Real questions on naming organic compounds
The newest 15 of 15 written questions. Open one to see it on the real paper.
- 0971/42 · October/November 2025 · Q6d(i)[2]
Name the two compounds that react together to produce compound E.
See it on the paper → - 0971/42 · May/June 2024 · Q4b[1]
Name the ester.
See it on the paper → - 0971/42 · May/June 2024 · Q4c[2]
Name carboxylic acid X and draw its displayed formula. name displayed formula
See it on the paper → - 0971/42 · May/June 2024 · Q4d[2]
Name alcohol Y and give its structural formula. name structural formula
See it on the paper → - 0971/42 · October/November 2023 · Q6c(ii)[2]
Name C and draw its displayed formula. name displayed formula
See it on the paper → - 0971/31 · May/June 2023 · Q7a(ii)[1]
Deduce the molecular formula of mesaconic acid.
See it on the paper → - 0971/42 · May/June 2023 · Q6a[1]
Name the ester formed when butanoic acid, CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 COOH, reacts with ethanol, CH 3 CH 2 OH.
See it on the paper → - 0971/42 · October/November 2022 · Q6e(i)[3]
Name and draw the structure of ester Z. Show all of the atoms and all of the bonds. name structure
See it on the paper → - 0971/42 · October/November 2022 · Q6e(iii)[2]
Name: ● an ester which is a structural isomer of ester Z . ● a carboxylic acid which is a structural isomer of ester Z. . [Total: 12]
See it on the paper → - 0971/41 · May/June 2022 · Q5g(i)[1]
Name ester X.
See it on the paper → - 0971/41 · May/June 2022 · Q5g(ii)[2]
Give the name of the carboxylic acid and the alcohol that react together to produce ester X. carboxylic acid alcohol
See it on the paper → - 0971/32 · October/November 2021 · Q5a[2]
Complete the table by naming the homologous series. The first one has been done for you.
See it on the paper → - 0971/41 · May/June 2020 · Q5d(i)[2]
Complete the table. name molecular formula CH 2 O ethanal propanal butanal C 2 H 4 O C 3 H 6 O
See it on the paper → - 0971/41 · May/June 2020 · Q5f(i)[1]
What term is used to describe molecules with different structures but with the same molecular formula?
See it on the paper → - 0971/42 · May/June 2019 · Q4c(iii)[1]
What term is used to describe compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural formulae?
See it on the paper →
What examiners said
This question was well answered but some candidates were careless with their chemical symbols. When writing a chemical formula, the subscripts must be clearly lower than the chemical symbols and those symbols must be in uppercase for carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
— Examiner report, May/June 2023, 0971/31 Q7(a)(ii) (Cambridge)
The name of the ester was known by most candidates. The most common error was the misspelling of ‘butanoate’ as ‘butanote’.
— Examiner report, May/June 2023, 0971/42 Q6(a) (Cambridge)
The correct name, propyl methanoate, followed by a correct structure was frequently seen. However, ‘methyl propanoate’ occurred frequently as an incorrect answer.
— Examiner report, October/November 2022, 0971/42 Q6(e)(i) (Cambridge)
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