Esterification
- Esters are compounds with an -COOR functional group and are characterised by their sweet and fruity smells
- They are prepared from the condensation reaction between a carboxylic acid and alcohol with concentrated H2SO4 as catalyst
- This is also called esterification
- The first part of the ester’s name comes from the alcohol and the second part of the name comes from the carboxylic acid
- E.g. Propanol and ethanoic acid will give the ester propyl ethanoate
Esters are formed from the condensation reaction between carboxylic acids and alcohols
Exam Tip
The reaction is also classified as a nucleophilic substitution reaction
