IChO 1972 · Theory problem 6

Organic compounds A-D from elemental analysis and titration

Organic compound A is 41.38 % carbon, 3.45 % hydrogen and the rest is oxygen. Compound A when heated with ethanol in the presence of an acid yields a new substance B which contains 55.81 % carbon, 6.97 % hydrogen, and oxygen.

The initial compound A when allowed to react with hydrobromide yields product C which on boiling in water gives substance D containing 35.82 % carbon, 4.48 % hydrogen, and oxygen. An amount of 2.68 g of substance D required reacting with 20 \(\mathrm{cm^3}\) of a 2 N solution of potassium hydroxide.

Problems:

6.1 Determine structural formulas of all the above mentioned substances A, B, C and D.

Use the finding that compound A splits off water when heated.

6.2 Write chemical equations for the above reactions.

Relative atomic masses: \(A_r(\ce{H}) = 1;\quad A_r(\ce{C}) = 12;\quad A_r(\ce{O}) = 16;\quad A_r(\ce{K}) = 39.\)

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

  • 6.1 The compounds are:
Compound Identification and molecular formula Structural SMILES
A Maleic acid, \((Z)\)-but-2-enedioic acid, \(\ce{C4H4O4}\) O=C(O)/C=C\C(=O)O
B Diethyl maleate, diethyl \((Z)\)-but-2-enedioate, \(\ce{C8H12O4}\) CCOC(=O)/C=C\C(=O)OCC
C Racemic 2-bromosuccinic acid, 2-bromobutanedioic acid, \(\ce{C4H5BrO4}\) Equal amounts of O=C(O)[C@H](Br)CC(=O)O and O=C(O)[C@@H](Br)CC(=O)O
D Racemic malic acid, 2-hydroxybutanedioic acid, \(\ce{C4H6O5}\) Equal amounts of O=C(O)[C@H](O)CC(=O)O and O=C(O)[C@@H](O)CC(=O)O
  • 6.2 The balanced equations, in molecular form, are:

\[ \ce{C4H4O4 + 2 C2H5OH <=>[acid][\Delta] C8H12O4 + 2 H2O} \]

\[ \ce{C4H4O4 + HBr -> C4H5BrO4} \]

\[ \ce{C4H5BrO4 + H2O ->[\Delta] C4H6O5 + HBr} \]

\[ \ce{C4H6O5 + 2 KOH -> K2C4H4O5 + 2 H2O} \]

\[ \ce{C4H4O4 ->[\Delta] C4H2O3 + H2O} \]

The last two organic products are dipotassium malate and maleic anhydride, respectively; their structures are specified below.

Solution

6.1 — Identification of A–D

For a \(100\,\mathrm g\) sample of each compound, the oxygen masses are obtained by difference. Dividing the elemental masses by the supplied relative atomic masses gives:

Compound Oxygen percentage \(n(\ce{C})/\mathrm{mol}\) \(n(\ce{H})/\mathrm{mol}\) \(n(\ce{O})/\mathrm{mol}\) Simplest ratio and empirical formula
A 55.17 3.4483 3.450 3.4481 \(1:1:1\), \(\ce{CHO}\)
B 37.22 4.6508 6.970 2.3263 \(2:3:1\), \(\ce{C2H3O}\)
D 59.70 2.9850 4.480 3.7313 \(4:6:5\), \(\ce{C4H6O5}\)

Establishing the molecular formulas. Acid-catalysed reaction with ethanol indicates esterification. Each carboxyl group esterified gains \(\ce{C2H4}\) overall, while the number of oxygen atoms remains unchanged.

Let A have molecular formula \(\ce{C_nH_nO_n}\). From B’s empirical formula and the unchanged oxygen count, B then has formula \(\ce{C_{2n}H_{3n}O_n}\). The gain of \(n\) carbon atoms requires esterification of \(n/2\) carboxyl groups. Those groups account for all \(n\) oxygen atoms in A.

A’s degree of unsaturation is

\[ \mathrm{DBE}=\frac{2n+2-n}{2}=\frac n2+1. \]

Its \(n/2\) carboxyl carbonyls account for all but one degree of unsaturation. The remaining unsaturation is the carbon–carbon double bond that undergoes hydrogen bromide addition.

Addition of hydrogen bromide, followed by hydrolysis of the carbon–bromine bond, amounts to adding one molecule of water across this double bond. Therefore,

\[ M_D=M_A+18\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

The carbon mass per mole is unchanged. Using the carbon percentages,

\[ 0.4138M_A=0.3582(M_A+18), \]

so

\[ M_A=\frac{0.3582(18)}{0.4138-0.3582} =115.96\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}} \approx116\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Since A’s empirical formula mass is \(12+1+16=29\),

\[ n=\frac{116}{29}=4. \]

Consequently,

\[ A:\ \ce{C4H4O4},\qquad B:\ \ce{C8H12O4},\qquad C:\ \ce{C4H5BrO4},\qquad D:\ \ce{C4H6O5}. \]

In particular, A contains \(n/2=2\) carboxyl groups.

Checking D by titration. The potassium hydroxide supplies

\[ n_{\mathrm{eq}} =(20\times10^{-3}\,\mathrm L) (2\,\mathrm{eq\,L^{-1}}) =0.040\,\mathrm{eq}. \]

Thus D’s neutralization equivalent is

\[ E_D=\frac{2.68\,\mathrm g}{0.040\,\mathrm{eq}} =67\,\mathrm{g\,eq^{-1}}. \]

Its molar mass is

\[ M_D=4(12)+6(1)+5(16)=134\,\mathrm{g\,mol^{-1}}. \]

Therefore, D supplies \(134/67=2\) acid equivalents per mole, confirming two carboxyl groups. Its fifth oxygen belongs to the alcoholic hydroxyl group introduced by hydrolysis. This alcoholic group is not neutralized in the aqueous carboxylic-acid titration.

Determining connectivity and stereochemistry. The heating clue identifies the arrangement that permits direct formation of a five-membered cyclic anhydride:

\[ \ce{HOOC-CH=CH-COOH}. \]

The two carboxyl groups must lie on the same side of the double bond. Hence A is maleic acid, the \(Z\) isomer. The trans isomer, fumaric acid, O=C(O)/C=C/C(=O)O, lacks the geometry for direct ring closure.

Esterification of both carboxyl groups gives diethyl maleate B, retaining the \(Z\) double bond. Addition of hydrogen bromide gives 2-bromosuccinic acid C:

\[ \ce{HOOC-CHBr-CH2-COOH}. \]

Replacing bromine by hydroxyl gives malic acid D:

\[ \ce{HOOC-CH(OH)-CH2-COOH}. \]

C and D each contain one stereocentre. Because the starting material and reaction conditions are achiral, both products are racemic mixtures, represented by the two enantiomeric SMILES in the answer table.

6.2 — Reaction equations

The small-molecule reagents and products are ethanol CCO, hydrogen bromide Br, water O, and potassium hydroxide [K+].[OH-].

Esterification, A → B:

\[ \ce{HOOC-CH=CH-COOH + 2 C2H5OH <=>[acid][\Delta] C2H5OOC-CH=CH-COOC2H5 + 2 H2O} \]

Both alkene structures have \(Z\) geometry.

Hydrogen bromide addition, A → C:

\[ \ce{HOOC-CH=CH-COOH + HBr -> HOOC-CHBr-CH2-COOH} \]

Hydrogen and bromine add across the double bond. The symmetry of A makes the two alkene carbon atoms equivalent.

Hydrolysis on boiling in water, C → D:

\[ \ce{HOOC-CHBr-CH2-COOH + H2O ->[\Delta] HOOC-CH(OH)-CH2-COOH + HBr} \]

Neutralization of D:

\[ \ce{HOOC-CH(OH)-CH2-COOH + 2 KOH -> KOOC-CH(OH)-CH2-COOK + 2 H2O} \]

The product is racemic dipotassium malate, represented by equal amounts of [K+].[K+].O=C([O-])[C@H](O)CC(=O)[O-] and [K+].[K+].O=C([O-])[C@@H](O)CC(=O)[O-].

Thermal dehydration of A:

\[ \ce{C4H4O4 ->[\Delta] C4H2O3 + H2O} \]

The product is maleic anhydride, furan-2,5-dione, O=C1OC(=O)C=C1. It contains a five-membered ring comprising the two alkene carbon atoms, the two carbonyl carbon atoms, and the bridging anhydride oxygen.

The solution was checked against the official solution.