International Chemistry Olympiad

IChO 1984

Frankfurt am Main, German Federal Republic · 8 theory problems with complete solutions

  1. Problem 1: Radioactive dating with 14C and 87Rb/87Sr

    A)

    The element carbon consists of the stable isotopes \(\ce{^{12}C}\) (98.90 percent of atoms) and \(\ce{^{13}C}\) (1.10 percent of atoms). In addition, carbon contains a small fraction of the radioisotope \(\ce{^{14}C}\) (\(t_{1/2}=5730\) years), which is continuously formed in the atmosphere by cosmic rays as \(\ce{CO2}\). \(\ce{^{14}C}\) mixes with the isotopes \(\ce{^{12}C}\) and \(\ce{^{13}C}\) via the natural \(\ce{CO2}\) cycle.

    The decay rate of \(\ce{^{14}C}\) is described by (\(N\) = number of \(\ce{^{14}C}\) atoms; \(t\) = time; \(\lambda\) = decay constant):

    \[ \text{decay rate}=-\frac{dN}{dt}=\lambda N \tag{1} \]

    Integration of (1) leads to the well-known rate law (2) for the radioactive decay:

    \[ N=N_0\,\mathrm{e}^{-\lambda t} \tag{2} \]

    \(N_0\) = number of \(\ce{^{14}C}\) atoms at \(t=0\)

    1.1 What is the mathematical relationship between the parameters \(\alpha\) and \(t_{1/2}\) (= half l life)?

    1.2 The decay rate of carbon, which is a part of the natural \(\ce{CO2}\) cycle, is found to be 13.6 disintegrations per minute and gram of carbon. When a plant (e. g. a tree) dies, it no longer takes part in the \(\ce{CO2}\) cycle. As a consequence, the decay rate of carbon decreases.

    In 1983, a decay rate of 12.0 disintegrations per minute and gram of carbon was measured for a piece of wood which belongs to a ship of the Vikings. In which year was cut the tree from which this piece of wood originated?

    1.3 Assume that the error of the decay rate of 12.0 disintegrations per minute and gram of carbon is 0.2 disintegrations per minute and gram of carbon. What is the corresponding error in the age of the wood in question b)?

    1.4 What is the isotope \(\ce{^{12}C}/\ce{^{14}C}\) ratio of carbon, which takes part in the natural \(\ce{CO2}\) cycle (1 year = 365 days)?

    B)

    The elements strontium and rubidium have the following isotope composition:

    Strontium: 0.56 % \(\ce{^{84}Sr}\) ; 9.86 % \(\ce{^{86}Sr}\) ; 7.00 % \(\ce{^{87}Sr}\) ; 82.58 % \(\ce{^{88}Sr}\) (these isotopes are all stable).

    Rubidium: 72.17 % \(\ce{^{85}Rb}\) (stable) ; 27.83 % \(\ce{^{87}Rb}\) (radioactive; \(t_{1/2}=4.7\times10^{10}\) years).

    The radioactive decay of \(\ce{^{87}Rb}\) leads to \(\ce{^{87}Sr}\).

    In Greenland one finds a gneiss (= silicate mineral) containing both strontium and rubidium.

    1.5 What is the equation rate law describing the formation of \(\ce{^{87}Sr}\) from \(\ce{^{87}Rb}\) as a function of time?

    1.6 Assume that the isotope ratio \(\ce{^{87}Sr}/\ce{^{86}Sr}\) (as determined by mass spectrometry) and the isotope ratio \(\ce{^{87}Rb}:\ce{^{86}Sr}\) are known for the gneiss. What is the mathematical relationship with which one can calculate the age of the gneiss?

    Official English text of the problem.

  2. Problem 2: Metal carbonyls and the eighteen-electron rule

    Ludwig Mond discovered before the turn of this century that finely divided nickel reacts with carbon monoxide forming tetracarbonylnickel, \(\ce{Ni(CO)4}\), a colourless, very volatile liquid. The composition of \(\ce{Ni(CO)4}\) provides an example of the noble gas rule ("EAN rule").

    Problems:

    2.1 Use the eighteen-electron rule (noble gas rule) to predict the formula of the binary carbonyls of \(\ce{Fe(0)}\) and \(\ce{Cr(0)}\).

    2.2 What composition would the eighteen-electron rule predict for the most simple binary chromium(0)-nitrosyl compound?

    2.3 Explain why \(\ce{Mn(0)}\) and \(\ce{Co(0)}\) do not form so-called mononuclear carbonyl complexes of the type \(\ce{M(CO)_{x}}\) (M = metal), but rather compounds with metal-metal bonding.

    2.4 Suggest structures of \(\ce{Ni(CO)4}\), \(\ce{Mn2(CO)10}\) and \(\ce{Co2(CO)8}\).

    2.5 State whether \(\ce{V(CO)6}\) and the compounds mentioned in a) and d) are diamagnetic or paramagnetic.

    2.6 Why are the carbon monoxide ligands bound to metals much more strongly than to boron in borane adducts (e.g. \(\ce{R3B-CO}\); R = alkyl)?

    2.7 Determine the composition of the compounds labeled A - F in the following reaction scheme:

    Figure 1

    Hints:

    a) C has the following analysis: \(\ce{C}\), 14.75 % ; \(\ce{Br}\), 48.90 % .

    b) D contains 30.70 % \(\ce{Fe}\); the molecular mass is 363.8 a.m.u.

    c) Excess triethylamine is used for the synthesis of F. F contains 5.782 % \(\ce{C}\) and 10.11 % \(\ce{N}\).

    2.8 Why is the compound F formed in the disproportional reaction (given in g)), and not the compositional isomer \(\ce{[Fe(CO)_{f}]^{2+}[Fe(NEt3)_{e}]^{2-}}\)?

    2.9 The eighteen-electron rule is also satisfied by a compound prepared from elementary chromium and benzene.

    i) Draw the formula of this complex.

    ii) Which complex with the analogous structure is prepared by the reaction of iron powder with cyclopentadiene? Write the chemical equation for its formation.

    Official English text of the problem.

  3. Problem 3: Spectrophotometric determination of the pKa of a coloured weak acid

    A weak acid of total concentration \(2 \times 10^{-2}\ \mathrm{M}\) is dissolved in a buffer of pH = 8.8. The anion \(\ce{A^-}\) of this acid is coloured and has a molar decadic absorption coefficient \(\varepsilon\) of \(2.1 \times 10^4\ \mathrm{cm^2\,mol^{-1}}\). A layer \(l\) of the solution with 1.0 cm thickness absorbs 60 percent of the incident luminous intensity \(I_o\).

    3.1 What is the equation relating the extinction to the thickness of the absorbing layer?

    3.2 How large is the concentration of the acid anion in the buffer solution?

    3.3 How large is the \(\mathrm{p}K_a\) of the acid?

    Official English text of the problem.

  4. Problem 4: Formula of a gaseous hydrocarbon from its combustion

    15 cm³ of a gaseous hydrocarbon \(\ce{C_xH_y}\) are mixed with 120 cm³ oxygen and ignited. After the reaction the burned gases are shaken with concentrated aqueous \(\ce{KOH}\) solution. A part of the gases is completely absorbed while 67.5 cm³ gases remain. It has the same temperature and pressure as the original unburned mixture.

    4.1 What is the composition of the remaining gas? Explain.

    4.2 How large is the change in the amount of substance per mole of a hydrocarbon \(\ce{C_xH_y}\) when this is burned completely?

    4.3 What is the chemical formula of the hydrocarbon used for the experiment?

    Give the steps of the calculation.

    Official English text of the problem.

  5. Problem 5: Stereochemistry of the bromination-dehydrobromination of a monodeuterated alkene

    One of the diastereotopic methylene protons at the double bond of A was selectively substituted by deuterium. Bromination and subsequent dehydrobromation yields the

    Figure 1

    deuteriated product B and the non-deuteriated product C.

    5.1 Which configuration follows for the monodeuteriated A from the given reaction products?

    5.2 The solution of this question requires the formulation of the reaction and a short argumentation why only B and C are formed.

    Official English text of the problem.

  6. Problem 6: A C5 hydrocarbon from pyrolysis fractions: dimerization, epoxidation and stereoisomers

    A technical interesting \(\ce{C5}\) hydrocarbon A is separated via dimerization from the for-runnings of the benzene-pyrolysis fraction. This is achieved either by heating to \(140–150\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\) under pressure or by heating over several hours at \(100\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\). Then it is distilled out at \(200\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\). Treatment of A with peroxyacetic acid under neutral conditions (sodium acetate and sodium carbonate) in dichloromethane at \(20\,^\circ\mathrm{C}\) yields a product B. B yields two isomeric products C and D (summary formula \(\ce{C5H8O2}\)) by the reaction with aqueous sodium carbonate solution. The main product C contains three different bound carbon atoms whereas in the minor product D five different carbon atoms are present. C is chiral.

    6.1 Write the formulas of A, B, C, and D considering the stereochemical representation.

    6.2 What is the name of the chemical reaction which is used for the above mentioned separation procedure?

    6.3 Which stereochemical rules hold for the dimerization reaction?

    6.4 Give the structure of the dimerization product.

    6.5 Give the mechanism of the formation of C and D from B.

    6.6 Which kind of isomers are C and D ?

    6.7 How many stereoisomers of C and D are principally (regardless of their synthetic availability) possible? Give their mutual stereochemical relations. Write their structural formulas.

    Official English text of the problem.

  7. Problem 7: DNA: mass, coding capacity and base composition

    Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) represents the genetic program of all living beings. The human genetic program is subdivided into 23 chromosomes.

    7.1 Calculate the mass of a DNA thread in grams, which reaches form earth to the moon (340,000 km). A mass of 1 g represents 1,000 nucleotide pairs.

    One nucleotide pair (base pair) has a length of 0.34 nm.

    7.2 Give estimation on how many nucleotid pairs are stored in the chromosome set of a human being. Human cells can synthesize 50,000 different proteins, which are on the average 300 amino acids long. Only 2 % of the DNA code for proteins.

    7.3 The DNA of the bacteriophage M13 shows the following base composition:

    A: 23 %, T: 36 %, G: 21 %, C: 20 % (mole %)

    What does the base composition tell about the structure of the DNA?

    Official English text of the problem.

  8. Problem 8: Amino acid sequence of a pain-relieving peptide

    The sequence of the amino acids in a peptide can be determined by a combination of chemical and enzymatic methods. The peptide in question functions in the human body as a pain reliever.

    a) Hydrolysis of the peptide in 6 M \(\ce{HCl}\) at \(110^\circ\mathrm{C}\) followed by an analysis of the liberated amino acids, resulted in a molar ratio of Gly, Leu, and aromatic amino acids Phe, Tyr 2 : 1 : 1 : 1.

    b) Reacting the peptide with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB), followed by hydrolysis and chromatographic analysis, yielded the tyrosine derivative.

    c) Partial hydrolysis with chymotrypsin yielded Leu, Tyr and a smaller peptide. After hydrolysis of this peptide Gly and Phe were identified in a ratio 2 : 1. Chymotrypsin is a protease which cleaves a peptide bond following an aromatic amino acid.

    Problems:

    8.1 Determine the amino acid sequence from the given information.

    8.2 Write the structural formula of the DNFB- and the dansyl derivative of tyrosine. What is the advantage of the dansylation in comparison to the DNFB-modification?

    Dansyl means 5-N,N-dimethylaminonaphtalene-4-sulphonyl.

    8.3 In a similar peptide which shows the same biological activity, leucine is replaced by methionine. Explain from the chemical structure of both amino acids why the replacement is possible without loss of biological activity.

    Official English text of the problem.