Qualification
Accredited
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
AS AND A LEVEL
Delivery Guide
CHEMISTRY A
H032, H432
For first teaching in 2015
Theme: Organic Chemistry
Version 2
www.ocr.org.uk/chemistry
, AS and A Level Chemistry A Delivery Guide
AS AND A LEVEL
Introduction
CHEMISTRY A
Delivery guides are designed to represent a body of knowledge about teaching a particular
topic and contain:
• Content: A clear outline of the content covered by the delivery guide;
• Thinking Conceptually: Expert guidance on the key concepts involved, common difficulties
students may have, approaches to teaching that can help students understand these
concepts and how this topic links conceptually to other areas of the subject;
• Thinking Contextually: A range of suggested teaching activities using a variety of themes so
that different activities can be selected which best suit particular classes, learning styles or
teaching approaches.
If you have any feedback on this Delivery Guide or suggestions for other resources you
would like OCR to develop, please email .
Curriculum Content Page 3
Thinking conceptually Page 6
Thinking conceptually: activities Page 13
Thinking contextually: activities Page 18
Would you prefer a Word version?
Did you know that you can save this pdf as a Word file using Acrobat Professional?
Simply click on File > Export to and select Microsoft Word
(If you have opened this PDF in your browser you will need to save it first. Simply right click anywhere
on the page and select Save as . . . to save the PDF. Then open the PDF in Acrobat Professional.)
If you do not have access to Acrobat Professional there are a number of free applications available that will also
convert PDF to Word (search for pdf to word converter).
2 © OCR 2020
, AS and A Level Chemistry A Delivery Guide
Curriculum content
4.1.1 Basic concepts of organic chemistry (f ) the different types of covalent bond fission:
(a) application of IUPAC rules of nomenclature for systematically naming organic (i) homolytic fission (in terms of each bonding atom receiving one electron from the
compounds bonded pair, forming two radicals)
(b) interpretation and use of the terms: (ii) heterolytic fission (in terms of one bonding atom receiving both electrons from the
bonded pair)
(i) general formula (the simplest algebraic formula of a member of a homologous
series) e.g. for an alkane: CnH2n+2 (g) the term radical (a species with an unpaired electron) and use of ‘dots’ to represent
species that are radicals in mechanisms
(ii) structural formula (the minimal detail that shows the arrangement of atoms in a
molecule) e.g. for butane: CH3CH2CH2CH3 or CH3(CH2)2CH3 (h) a ‘curly arrow’ described as the movement of an electron pair, showing either
heterolytic fission or formation of a covalent bond
(iii) displayed formula (the relative positioning of atoms and the bonds between them)
(i) reaction mechanisms, using diagrams, to show clearly the movement of an electron
(iv) skeletal formula (the simplified organic formula, shown by removing hydrogen
pair with ‘curly arrows’ and relevant dipoles.
atoms from alkyl chains, leaving just a carbon skeleton and associated functional
groups)
(c) interpretation and use of the terms:
(i) homologous series (a series of organic compounds having the same functional
group but with each successive member differing by CH2)
(ii) functional group (a group of atoms responsible for the characteristic reactions of a
compound)
(iii) alkyl group (of formula CnH2n+1)
(iv) aliphatic (a compound containing carbon and hydrogen joined together in straight
chains, branched chains or non-aromatic rings)
(v) alicyclic (an aliphatic compound arranged in non-aromatic rings with or without
side chains)
(vi) aromatic (a compound containing a benzene ring)
(vii)saturated (single carbon–carbon bonds only) and unsaturated (the presence of
multiple carbon–carbon bonds, including C=C, C=–C and aromatic rings)
(d) use of the general formula of a homologous series to predict the formula of any
member of the series
(e) explanation of the term structural isomers (compounds with the same molecular
formula but different structural formulae) and determination of possible structural
formulae of an organic molecule, given its molecular formula
3 © OCR 2020
Accredited
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
AS AND A LEVEL
Delivery Guide
CHEMISTRY A
H032, H432
For first teaching in 2015
Theme: Organic Chemistry
Version 2
www.ocr.org.uk/chemistry
, AS and A Level Chemistry A Delivery Guide
AS AND A LEVEL
Introduction
CHEMISTRY A
Delivery guides are designed to represent a body of knowledge about teaching a particular
topic and contain:
• Content: A clear outline of the content covered by the delivery guide;
• Thinking Conceptually: Expert guidance on the key concepts involved, common difficulties
students may have, approaches to teaching that can help students understand these
concepts and how this topic links conceptually to other areas of the subject;
• Thinking Contextually: A range of suggested teaching activities using a variety of themes so
that different activities can be selected which best suit particular classes, learning styles or
teaching approaches.
If you have any feedback on this Delivery Guide or suggestions for other resources you
would like OCR to develop, please email .
Curriculum Content Page 3
Thinking conceptually Page 6
Thinking conceptually: activities Page 13
Thinking contextually: activities Page 18
Would you prefer a Word version?
Did you know that you can save this pdf as a Word file using Acrobat Professional?
Simply click on File > Export to and select Microsoft Word
(If you have opened this PDF in your browser you will need to save it first. Simply right click anywhere
on the page and select Save as . . . to save the PDF. Then open the PDF in Acrobat Professional.)
If you do not have access to Acrobat Professional there are a number of free applications available that will also
convert PDF to Word (search for pdf to word converter).
2 © OCR 2020
, AS and A Level Chemistry A Delivery Guide
Curriculum content
4.1.1 Basic concepts of organic chemistry (f ) the different types of covalent bond fission:
(a) application of IUPAC rules of nomenclature for systematically naming organic (i) homolytic fission (in terms of each bonding atom receiving one electron from the
compounds bonded pair, forming two radicals)
(b) interpretation and use of the terms: (ii) heterolytic fission (in terms of one bonding atom receiving both electrons from the
bonded pair)
(i) general formula (the simplest algebraic formula of a member of a homologous
series) e.g. for an alkane: CnH2n+2 (g) the term radical (a species with an unpaired electron) and use of ‘dots’ to represent
species that are radicals in mechanisms
(ii) structural formula (the minimal detail that shows the arrangement of atoms in a
molecule) e.g. for butane: CH3CH2CH2CH3 or CH3(CH2)2CH3 (h) a ‘curly arrow’ described as the movement of an electron pair, showing either
heterolytic fission or formation of a covalent bond
(iii) displayed formula (the relative positioning of atoms and the bonds between them)
(i) reaction mechanisms, using diagrams, to show clearly the movement of an electron
(iv) skeletal formula (the simplified organic formula, shown by removing hydrogen
pair with ‘curly arrows’ and relevant dipoles.
atoms from alkyl chains, leaving just a carbon skeleton and associated functional
groups)
(c) interpretation and use of the terms:
(i) homologous series (a series of organic compounds having the same functional
group but with each successive member differing by CH2)
(ii) functional group (a group of atoms responsible for the characteristic reactions of a
compound)
(iii) alkyl group (of formula CnH2n+1)
(iv) aliphatic (a compound containing carbon and hydrogen joined together in straight
chains, branched chains or non-aromatic rings)
(v) alicyclic (an aliphatic compound arranged in non-aromatic rings with or without
side chains)
(vi) aromatic (a compound containing a benzene ring)
(vii)saturated (single carbon–carbon bonds only) and unsaturated (the presence of
multiple carbon–carbon bonds, including C=C, C=–C and aromatic rings)
(d) use of the general formula of a homologous series to predict the formula of any
member of the series
(e) explanation of the term structural isomers (compounds with the same molecular
formula but different structural formulae) and determination of possible structural
formulae of an organic molecule, given its molecular formula
3 © OCR 2020
