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CAIE A-Level Chemistry 35.3.3 Biodegradable Polyesters and Polyamides

Practise linking polyester and polyamide degradability to hydrolysis of polar links by acid or alkali.

Syllabus
2028–2030
Course
Chemistry 9701
Level
A2

Exam points

  • locate ester or amide links in the polymer backbone as sites that can undergo hydrolysis
  • state acidic or alkaline hydrolysis as routes that cleave these condensation-polymer links
  • contrast their hydrolysable backbones with the chemically inert all-carbon backbone of a polyalkene

35.3.3—Biodegradable polyesters and polyamides question 1

[Maximum number: 1]

Lactic acid, CH3CH(OH)COOH\mathrm{CH}_{3} \mathrm{CH}(\mathrm{OH}) \mathrm{COOH}, is the only monomer needed to form the polymer polylactic acid, PLA.

Predict whether PLA is readily biodegradable. Explain your answer.

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