Esterification and Esters

Question 1

How do you get an ester?

Answer 1

If you heat a carboxylic acid with an alcohol in the presence of a strong acid catalyst.
It’s called esterification reaction.

Question 2

What is the acid catalyst usually used in esterification?

Answer 2

Concentrated sulfuric acid.

Question 3

How do you name an ester?

Answer 3

1. Look at the alkyl group that came from the alcohol.
2. Look at part that came from carboxylic acid. Swap its ‘oic acid’ ending for ‘oate’ to get the second bit of the name.
3. Put the two bits together