Chem 242 Final Exam|Ques ons and answers |Updated
RATED A+ 2026
What flammable gas is produced if sodium borohydride is mixed with water?
Hydrogen
According to either the lab manual or other material posted on Canvas, which compound has
the shortest reten on me? (isoborneol, camphor, borneol)
Camphor
Camphor has ___ chiral centers and borneol has ___ chiral centers
2, 3
Borneol and isoborneol are _____ of each other. Borneol and camphor are _____ of each other.
diastereomers, not isomers
Your solvent for the camphor reduc on is methanol. Why is water not a suitable solvent?
(choose all that apply)
The NaBH4 would decompose in water, so no reac on would occur, camphor is not soluble in
water, so no reac on would occur
How will you dis nguish borneol and isoborneol by NMR?
The chemical shi- of the O-C-H peak (3.5 vs 4 ppm)
How will you dis nguish borneol, isoborneol, and camphor by GC-MS (choose all that apply)
Camphor has a different MW than borneol/isoborneol, the library will suggest the most likely
compound, the GC-MS labelling file on Canvas has the GC peaks labelled
Why does camphor reduc on show stereoselec vity?
Due to the steric bulk of the bridged methyl groups, the hydride from NaBH4 only does endo
a8ack
What are the major risk(s) of nitric acid? (choose all that apply)
Choking odor, corroside / chemical burns, strong oxidizing agent
What is/are proper techniques for using the fume hood? (choose all that apply)
, When not working at the fume hood (e.g. taking a mel ng point), close the sash, when working
in the fume hood, keep the sash as low as possible
How should the thermowell be plugged in?
Plug the thermowell into the variable outlet so you can control the hea ng
Which of the following statements is/are true about the ethanol you use in lab for this
experiment (choose all that apply)
It is highly flammable, it is not safe to drink because it has been denatured with toxic
components
_____ will have a higher Rf on the TLC plate, because __________
benzil, benzoin is more polar than benzil - the OH group can do H-bonding
Which compound are you using that requires a special waste container not normally used in the
organic labs.
Nitric acid
What are some of the health effect(s) of isoamyl nitrite (also called amyl nitrite, or isopentyl
nitrite)? (choose all that apply)
increased heart rate, lower blood pressure, dizziness, psychoac ve effects, toxic if ingested
How should you transport amyl nitrite from the dispensing fume hood to your fume hood?
In a snap-cap vial that is closed
Which of the following gas(es) are produced at some point during the 3-step synthesis?
CO2, CO, nitrous oxides, nitrogen gas
Which steps of the 3 step synthesis require you to adjust the lab manual scale based on how
much material you actually have? (choose all that apply)
Step 2 - aldol condensa on, step 3 - Diels-Alder reac on
What could happen if you don't turn on the water in the condenser? (choose all that apply)
the solvent coule evaporate leading to reactants to precipitate and no longer react, the reac on
could heat up excessively causing poten ally dangerous side reac ons, the isopentyl nitrite
could evaporate which would halt the reac on
In this experiment you reflux your solvent using a water condenser. Why is that necessary rather
then just hea ng an open flask?
RATED A+ 2026
What flammable gas is produced if sodium borohydride is mixed with water?
Hydrogen
According to either the lab manual or other material posted on Canvas, which compound has
the shortest reten on me? (isoborneol, camphor, borneol)
Camphor
Camphor has ___ chiral centers and borneol has ___ chiral centers
2, 3
Borneol and isoborneol are _____ of each other. Borneol and camphor are _____ of each other.
diastereomers, not isomers
Your solvent for the camphor reduc on is methanol. Why is water not a suitable solvent?
(choose all that apply)
The NaBH4 would decompose in water, so no reac on would occur, camphor is not soluble in
water, so no reac on would occur
How will you dis nguish borneol and isoborneol by NMR?
The chemical shi- of the O-C-H peak (3.5 vs 4 ppm)
How will you dis nguish borneol, isoborneol, and camphor by GC-MS (choose all that apply)
Camphor has a different MW than borneol/isoborneol, the library will suggest the most likely
compound, the GC-MS labelling file on Canvas has the GC peaks labelled
Why does camphor reduc on show stereoselec vity?
Due to the steric bulk of the bridged methyl groups, the hydride from NaBH4 only does endo
a8ack
What are the major risk(s) of nitric acid? (choose all that apply)
Choking odor, corroside / chemical burns, strong oxidizing agent
What is/are proper techniques for using the fume hood? (choose all that apply)
, When not working at the fume hood (e.g. taking a mel ng point), close the sash, when working
in the fume hood, keep the sash as low as possible
How should the thermowell be plugged in?
Plug the thermowell into the variable outlet so you can control the hea ng
Which of the following statements is/are true about the ethanol you use in lab for this
experiment (choose all that apply)
It is highly flammable, it is not safe to drink because it has been denatured with toxic
components
_____ will have a higher Rf on the TLC plate, because __________
benzil, benzoin is more polar than benzil - the OH group can do H-bonding
Which compound are you using that requires a special waste container not normally used in the
organic labs.
Nitric acid
What are some of the health effect(s) of isoamyl nitrite (also called amyl nitrite, or isopentyl
nitrite)? (choose all that apply)
increased heart rate, lower blood pressure, dizziness, psychoac ve effects, toxic if ingested
How should you transport amyl nitrite from the dispensing fume hood to your fume hood?
In a snap-cap vial that is closed
Which of the following gas(es) are produced at some point during the 3-step synthesis?
CO2, CO, nitrous oxides, nitrogen gas
Which steps of the 3 step synthesis require you to adjust the lab manual scale based on how
much material you actually have? (choose all that apply)
Step 2 - aldol condensa on, step 3 - Diels-Alder reac on
What could happen if you don't turn on the water in the condenser? (choose all that apply)
the solvent coule evaporate leading to reactants to precipitate and no longer react, the reac on
could heat up excessively causing poten ally dangerous side reac ons, the isopentyl nitrite
could evaporate which would halt the reac on
In this experiment you reflux your solvent using a water condenser. Why is that necessary rather
then just hea ng an open flask?
