EDEXCEL A LEVEL CHEMISTRY PAPER 2
2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◉Electrophile. Answer: A species that accepts a pair of electrons.
The most common example is H+ that accepts a lone pair of
electrons from a nitrogen atom in ammonia.
◉Nucleophilic substitution. Answer: A substitution reaction in
which a nucleophile such as ammonia is attracted to a positive
charge centre such as the functional group carbon atom of a
halogenoalkane.
◉Hydrolysis. Answer: Breaking up a molecule using water. There are
two types of hydrolysis - acidic and alkaline
◉Ester. Answer: A molecule that contains the COO functional group.
Many esters are volatile and are found in fragrances such as rose oil.
◉Ester solubility in water. Answer: The middle of the molecule has
has hydrogen bonding between the oxygen of C=O and the H of
,water; and also between the -O- and the H of water. The smaller the
molecule the higher the solubility in water.
◉Ester solubility in hexane (non-polar solvent). Answer: The non-
polar alkyl ends of the molecule form London forces with the
solvent. The larger the molecule, the greater the solubility in the
hexane solvent because there are more London forces between the
solute molecule and the solvent molecule.
◉Ammonia. Answer: NH3
◉Primary amine. Answer: CH3NH2
◉Secondary amine. Answer: (CH3)2NH
◉Tertiary amine. Answer: (CH3)3N
◉Free radical substitution. Answer: When a halogen atom replaces a
hydrogen atom in a reaction. UV is required. At higher levels of the
halogen, the amount of substitution increases. For example, CCL4 is
formed at high CL2 levels, CH3Cl is formed at low Cl2 levels. 3 steps
I,P,T.
, ◉Electrophilic addition. Answer: A type of addition reaction in
which an electrophile is attracted to an electron-rich centre or atom,
where it accepts a pair of electrons to form a new covalent bond.
◉Example - symbol equation - free radical substitution at low UV
levels. Answer: Cl2 + CH4 --> CH3Cl + HCl
◉Example - symbol equation - free radical substitution at high UV
levels. Answer: 4Cl2 + CH4 --> CCl4 + 4HCl
◉Example - symbol equation - electrophilic addition. Answer: C2H4
+ Cl2 --> C2H4Cl2
◉Example - symbol equation - addition polymerisation. Answer: n
C2H4 --> [C2H4]n
◉Structural isomerism. Answer: Atoms are joined in a different
order forming different structures
◉Stereoisomerism. Answer: Atoms are joined in the same order but
they occupy different positions in space
◉Optical isomerism. Answer: An example of stereoisomerism where
the molecule has one or more chiral centres
2026 FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◉Electrophile. Answer: A species that accepts a pair of electrons.
The most common example is H+ that accepts a lone pair of
electrons from a nitrogen atom in ammonia.
◉Nucleophilic substitution. Answer: A substitution reaction in
which a nucleophile such as ammonia is attracted to a positive
charge centre such as the functional group carbon atom of a
halogenoalkane.
◉Hydrolysis. Answer: Breaking up a molecule using water. There are
two types of hydrolysis - acidic and alkaline
◉Ester. Answer: A molecule that contains the COO functional group.
Many esters are volatile and are found in fragrances such as rose oil.
◉Ester solubility in water. Answer: The middle of the molecule has
has hydrogen bonding between the oxygen of C=O and the H of
,water; and also between the -O- and the H of water. The smaller the
molecule the higher the solubility in water.
◉Ester solubility in hexane (non-polar solvent). Answer: The non-
polar alkyl ends of the molecule form London forces with the
solvent. The larger the molecule, the greater the solubility in the
hexane solvent because there are more London forces between the
solute molecule and the solvent molecule.
◉Ammonia. Answer: NH3
◉Primary amine. Answer: CH3NH2
◉Secondary amine. Answer: (CH3)2NH
◉Tertiary amine. Answer: (CH3)3N
◉Free radical substitution. Answer: When a halogen atom replaces a
hydrogen atom in a reaction. UV is required. At higher levels of the
halogen, the amount of substitution increases. For example, CCL4 is
formed at high CL2 levels, CH3Cl is formed at low Cl2 levels. 3 steps
I,P,T.
, ◉Electrophilic addition. Answer: A type of addition reaction in
which an electrophile is attracted to an electron-rich centre or atom,
where it accepts a pair of electrons to form a new covalent bond.
◉Example - symbol equation - free radical substitution at low UV
levels. Answer: Cl2 + CH4 --> CH3Cl + HCl
◉Example - symbol equation - free radical substitution at high UV
levels. Answer: 4Cl2 + CH4 --> CCl4 + 4HCl
◉Example - symbol equation - electrophilic addition. Answer: C2H4
+ Cl2 --> C2H4Cl2
◉Example - symbol equation - addition polymerisation. Answer: n
C2H4 --> [C2H4]n
◉Structural isomerism. Answer: Atoms are joined in a different
order forming different structures
◉Stereoisomerism. Answer: Atoms are joined in the same order but
they occupy different positions in space
◉Optical isomerism. Answer: An example of stereoisomerism where
the molecule has one or more chiral centres
