APPLICATIONS OF ORGANIC
CHEMISTRY
UNIT 14 ASSIGNMENT D
D: Investigate organic chemistry reactions in order to gain skills in preparative organic chemistry.
MAKING ESTERS
Esters are found naturally in fats and oils, but they can also be created in the lab
by combining an alcohol with an organic acid. As a catalyst, a small amount of
sulfuric acid is required.
The reaction equation:
alcohol + organic acid → ester + water
Esterification; the reaction between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid that
produces an ester and water.
When carboxylic acids are heated with alcohols in the presence of an acid
catalyst, esters are formed. Concentrated sulphuric acid is commonly used as a
catalyst. In other circumstances, dry hydrogen chloride gas is employed,
however this usually involves aromatic esters (ones where the carboxylic acid
contains a benzene ring). If you're an A level student in the United Kingdom,
you won't have to worry about these.
Esterification is a slow and reversible process. The reaction between an acid
RCOOH and an alcohol R'OH (where R and R' can be the same or different) has
the following equation:
[1]
This would be an example of an ester created.
, AIM
The aim of the practical is to allow carboxylic acids to react with alcohols in the
presence of a strong acid catalyst to produce a range of esters (a condensation
reaction known as acid-catalysed esterification).
APPARATUS
Water bath
Test tube
Evaporating basin
Sodium carbonate solid
Sulphuric acid
Alcohols used [octanol and ethanol]
Acids used [salicylic acid, ethanoic acid]
Tongs
METHOD
1) Pipette 0.5cm3 of alcohol you have chosen and 0.5cm3 of the carboxylic
acid you have chosen (if this is a solid use 1 spatula full instead) into the
test tube with concentrated sulphuric acid (contains 2 drops).
CHEMISTRY
UNIT 14 ASSIGNMENT D
D: Investigate organic chemistry reactions in order to gain skills in preparative organic chemistry.
MAKING ESTERS
Esters are found naturally in fats and oils, but they can also be created in the lab
by combining an alcohol with an organic acid. As a catalyst, a small amount of
sulfuric acid is required.
The reaction equation:
alcohol + organic acid → ester + water
Esterification; the reaction between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid that
produces an ester and water.
When carboxylic acids are heated with alcohols in the presence of an acid
catalyst, esters are formed. Concentrated sulphuric acid is commonly used as a
catalyst. In other circumstances, dry hydrogen chloride gas is employed,
however this usually involves aromatic esters (ones where the carboxylic acid
contains a benzene ring). If you're an A level student in the United Kingdom,
you won't have to worry about these.
Esterification is a slow and reversible process. The reaction between an acid
RCOOH and an alcohol R'OH (where R and R' can be the same or different) has
the following equation:
[1]
This would be an example of an ester created.
, AIM
The aim of the practical is to allow carboxylic acids to react with alcohols in the
presence of a strong acid catalyst to produce a range of esters (a condensation
reaction known as acid-catalysed esterification).
APPARATUS
Water bath
Test tube
Evaporating basin
Sodium carbonate solid
Sulphuric acid
Alcohols used [octanol and ethanol]
Acids used [salicylic acid, ethanoic acid]
Tongs
METHOD
1) Pipette 0.5cm3 of alcohol you have chosen and 0.5cm3 of the carboxylic
acid you have chosen (if this is a solid use 1 spatula full instead) into the
test tube with concentrated sulphuric acid (contains 2 drops).
