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AQA A Level Organic Chemistry Addition Polymer Exam Question Help

So I've spent about 45 mins trying to figure out this question (re-learnt naming amines and amides on YouTube lol) and I just don't understand it.

I think I may be drawing the monomer out wrong but I'm not sure. Here's the question:

Polymer M:

---- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH -- CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH--CO -----

Give the IUPAC name of the monomer that forms polymer M.

Mark Scheme Answer:
4-amino-3-methylbutanoic acid

When I draw the mark scheme answer I get:
NH2 -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- COOH
And I can't see how this becomes polymer M.

Any help would be appreciated as this is stressing me out lol.

PM is open if need be thanks a lot :smile:
(edited 2 years ago)
Original post by Kizarkito
So I've spent about 45 mins trying to figure out this question (re-learnt naming amines and amides on YouTube lol) and I just don't understand it.

I think I may be drawing the monomer out wrong but I'm not sure. Here's the question:

Polymer M:

---- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- NH -- CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH--CO -----

Give the IUPAC name of the monomer that forms polymer M.

Mark Scheme Answer:
4-amino-3-methylbutanoic acid

When I draw the mark scheme answer I get:
NH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- COOH
And I can't see how this becomes polymer M.

Any help would be appreciated as this is stressing me out lol.

PM is open if need be thanks a lot :smile:

I don't think that you have drawn the polymer correctly ...
Reply 2
4-amino-3-methylbutanoic acid only appears once in the polymer structure as a possible monomer are you sure the polymer structure M is correct?
Reply 3
Original post by charco
I don't think that you have drawn the polymer correctly ...


Original post by scimus63
4-amino-3-methylbutanoic acid only appears once in the polymer structure as a possible monomer are you sure the polymer structure M is correct?

Ahhh I'm sorry, I missed out a "CH2" on the LHS of polymer M: CH(CH3) -- "CH2" -- NH

I also re-drew the structure of the mark scheme answer as I think I drew it wrong before too.

Unfortunately, the structure of the mark scheme answer (NH2 -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- COOH) still doesn't go with the monomer of polymer M I've drawn out (CH3 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH -- CO -- OH) please correct me again if I'm wrong.

Thank you
Original post by Kizarkito
So I've spent about 45 mins trying to figure out this question (re-learnt naming amines and amides on YouTube lol) and I just don't understand it.

I think I may be drawing the monomer out wrong but I'm not sure. Here's the question:

Polymer M:

---- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH -- CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH--CO -----

Give the IUPAC name of the monomer that forms polymer M.

Mark Scheme Answer:
4-amino-3-methylbutanoic acid

When I draw the mark scheme answer I get:
NH2 -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- COOH
And I can't see how this becomes polymer M.

Any help would be appreciated as this is stressing me out lol.

PM is open if need be thanks a lot :smile:

-CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH-

Is the repeating unit

This can come from

HO-CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH2

The amine group can condense with the carboxylic acid group with the elimination of water.

Alternatively:

Cl-CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH2

In this case HCl is eliminated...
Reply 5
Original post by charco
-CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH-

Is the repeating unit

This can come from

HO-CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH2

The amine group can condense with the carboxylic acid group with the elimination of water.

Alternatively:

Cl-CO -- CH2 -- CH(CH3) -- CH2 -- NH2

In this case HCl is eliminated...

Ohhh I see! I was getting my repeating unit wrong...

Thank you so much for your help! :smile:

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