Forming and naming esters
Acid + alcohol gives an ester + water; name it alcohol-part-yl acid-part-oate.
Esterification is a reversible condensation reaction: a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol, losing water, with concentrated H₂SO₄ as catalyst (and dehydrating agent):
Naming (alkyl alkanoate): the first part comes from the alcohol (as the alkyl group), the second part from the acid (as -oate).
- From ethanol + ethanoic acid → ethyl ethanoate.
- From methanol + propanoic acid → methyl propanoate.
The ester link is the –COO– group.
- Acid + alcohol ⇌ ester + water (conc H₂SO₄).
- Reversible condensation reaction.
- Name: [alcohol]yl [acid]oate (alcohol part first).