Questions on Aspirin & penicillin

1. (a) State what is meant by the term analgesic and explain the difference in the mode of action of mild and strong analgesics.

(b) Identify two functional groups attached to the phenyl group in a molecule of aspirin.

(c) State one beneficial effect (other than its analgesic action) and one side effect of aspirin.

(a) State the equations for both of these syntheses using structural formulas.

(b) Identify the catalyst that is used in both cases.

3. Aspirin shows two absorptions in the region 1700-1750 cm^-1 in its infrared spectrum. These two absorptions are due to the two different carbonyl groups (C=O). Explain why they do not both occur at exactly the same frequency.

4. Amoxicillin is a general purpose antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections. It has the following structural formula:

(a) Draw a circle around the beta-lactam ring.

(b) Identify three functional groups present in the molecule that are outside the beta-lactam ring.

(c) State two advantages of administering amoxicillin compared to the original penicillin, which was known as penicillin G.

(d) Explain how amoxicillin works as an antibacterial.

(e) Explain why amoxicillin on its own is not very effective against tuberculosis (a disease caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacterium).

5. (a) The discovery of penicillin is usually attributed to Sir Alexander Fleming. Describe how he first made the discovery and describe the later work done by Howard Florey and Ernst Chain to bring penicillin to the masses during World War II.

(b) Some people claim that penicillin was discovered earlier by a Costa Rican called Clodomiro Picado Twight. Identify one other scientific discovery where there is doubt about who first made the discovery and suggest why conflicting claims sometimes arise.

6. State one disadvantage of overprescribing penicillins.

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