Solving a puzzle using spectroscopy | Chemistry Olympiad worked answers

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Try this worked example of a Chemistry Olympiad question, identifying a range of compounds using spectroscopy. Includes video walkthrough and transcript.

In this question from the 2011 UK Chemistry Olympiad round one paper, students use information about a series of compounds – including their chemical, structural and spectroscopic properties – to identify the compounds and, in some cases, to draw their skeletal formulas. The question is accompanied by a video walkthrough to help students if they get stuck or want to check their working.

The question is of low difficulty, and covers the following chemistry topics:

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
Organic structures
Isomerism

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