Esterification

From Free net encyclopedia

Esterification is the general name for a chemical reaction in which two chemicals (typically an alcohol and an acid) form an ester as the reaction product. These are commonly used as fragrance or flavour agents.

Examples of esterification reactions include:

H3C-COOH + HO-CH2-CH3     →     H3C-COO-CH2-CH3 + H2O (with the presence of conc.sulfuric acid)

H3C-COO- Na+ + HO-CH2-CH3 + H+ → H3C-COO-CH2-CH3 + H2O

H3C-CO2-Ag+ + Cl-CH2-CH3 → H3C-COO-CH2-CH3 + AgCl

  • The reaction of a carboxylic acid halogenide (which is also called acyl halide) with an alcohol/phenol.

H3C-COCl + HO-CH2-CH3 → H3C-COO-CH2-CH3 + H-Cl

  • The reaction of a carboxylic acid anhydride with an alcohol. (This method is used to synthesize aspirin)

H3C-CO-O-CO-CH3 + HO-CH2-CH3 → H3C-COO-CH2-CH3 + H3C-COOH

See also

el:Eστεροποίηση es:Esterificación nl:Verestering pl:Estryfikacja sr:Естерификација zh:酯化