Chemistry Form 5: Chapter 2 - Esterification

Esterification is a chemical reaction between carboxylic acid combines with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst (commonly concentrated sulphuric acid) to form an ester.

Examples of Esters

• methyl butanoate (apple) :
  

  methanol	+	butanoic acid	→	methyl butanoate (ester)	+	water
  CH3OH	+	C3H7COOH	→	C3H7COOCH3 (ester)	+	H2O

• ethyl methanoate (rum essence) :
  

  ethanol	+	methanoic acid	→	ethyl methanoate (ester)	+	water
  C2H5OH	+	HCOOH	→	HCOOC2H5 (ester)	+	H2O

• ethyl butanoate (pineapple) :
  

  ethanol	+	butanoic acid	→	ethyl butanoate (ester)	+	water
  C2H5OH	+	C3H7COOH	→	C3H7COOC2H5 (ester)	+	H2O

• pentyl ethanoate (banana) :
  

  pentanol	+	ethanoic acid	→	pentyl ethanoate (ester)	+	water
  C5H11OH	+	CH3COOH	→	CH3COOC5H11 (ester)	+	H2O

• pentyl butanoate (apricot) :
  

  pentanol	+	butanoic acid	→	pentyl butanoate (ester)	+	water
  C5H11OH	+	C3H7COOH	→	C3H7COOC5H11 (ester)	+	H2O

• octyl butanoate (orange) :
  

  octanol	+	butanoic acid	→	octyl butanoate (ester)	+	water
  C8H17OH	+	C3H7COOH	→	C3H7COOC8H17 (ester)	+	H2O

• methyl ethanoate (solvent) :
  

  methanol	+	ethanoic acid	→	methyl ethanoate (ester)	+	water
  CH3OH	+	CH3COOH	→	CH3COOCH3 (ester)	+	H2O

• ethyl ethanoate (solvent) :
  

  ethanol	+	ethanoic acid	→	ethyl ethanoate (ester)	+	water
  C2H5OH	+	CH3COOH	→	CH3COOC2H5 (ester)	+	H2O

Esterification by refluxing