DP Chemistry (last assessment 2024)

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Question 18M.3.sl.TZ1.b

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Date May 2018 Marks available [Maximum mark: 1] Reference code 18M.3.sl.TZ1.b
Level sl Paper 3 Time zone TZ1
Command term Suggest Question number b Adapted from N/A
b.
[Maximum mark: 1]
18M.3.sl.TZ1.b

Antiviral drugs are a major research focus.

Shikimic acid, the precursor for oseltamivir (Tamiflu), was originally extracted from star anise, and is now produced using genetically modified E. coli bacteria.

Suggest one difficulty associated with synthesizing oseltamivir (Tamiflu) from star anise.

[1]

Markscheme

Any one of:

limited supply of star anise/plant

«star anise» takes time to grow

time-consuming/multi-step extraction

low concentration in plan

 

Accept “low yield for extraction/conversion” OR “requires environmentally damaging solvents”.

[1 mark]

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