Production of Esters
Esters: Production of Esters
As was discussed earlier in this tutorial one way to form an ester is through the reaction of an alcohol and a carboxylic acid. This process is called an acid-catalysed condensation or esterification of a carboxylic acid.
The acid-catalysed condensation of a carboxylic acid to form an ester.
Fact:
In the formation of an ester one oxygen atom comes from the alcohol molecule, while the carbonyl group comes from the carboxylic acid. This is known because it is possible to label (using radioactive nuclides) the atoms of the reactants and see where they end up in the products.
In the general form above an alcohol (red) and a carboxylic acid (orange) combine to form an ester and water. A specific example is given in the figure below for the formation of butyl propanoate and water.
The esterification of butanol and propanoic acid to form butyl propanoate, water is also formed in this reaction.
This reaction can also be written as:
A more general example is:
It is important to be able to identify what ester a specific alcohol and carboxylic acid will form. Remember that the first part of the ester name takes its prefix from the alcohol with the suffix -yl. The second part of the ester takes its prefix from the carboxylic acid with the ester suffix -oate.
Example: Determining Ester Names
Question
What is the name of the ester that will form from hexanol and propanoic acid
Which compound forms the first part of the ester name and which forms the second part of the ester name?
The alcohol forms the first part of the ester name and takes the suffix -yl. The carboxylic acid forms the second part of the ester name and takes the suffix -oate.
Determine the first part of the ester name
The alcohol is hexanol, therefore there are 6 carbons and this will be hexyl.
Determine the second part of the ester name
The carboxylic acid is propanoic acid, therefore there are 3 carbons and this will be propanoate.
Combine the first and second parts of the ester name
The ester will be hexyl propanoate.
It is also important to be able to determine which compounds were used to form an ester.
Example: Determining Starting Materials of Esters
Question
What compounds did the ester octyl heptanoate come from?
What types of compounds are used to form esters?
Esters are formed from alcohols (which become the first part of the ester name) and carboxylic acids (which become the second part of the ester name).
Determine the prefix for the alcohol
The first part of the ester name comes from the alcohol (-ol). Therefore the prefix is oct-.
Determine the prefix for the carboxylic acid
The second part of the ester name comes from the carboxylic acid (-oic acid). Therefore the prefix is hept-.
Determine the compounds use to form the ester
Octyl heptanoate was formed from octanol and heptanoic acid.
A few examples of esters are given below.
|
Ester name |
Smell |
Uses |
||
|
methyl methanoate |
ether |
quick-dry finishes |
insecticide |
pharmaceuticals |
|
ethyl methanoate |
rum |
lacquers |
safety glass |
fumigating foods |
|
propyl methanoate |
pears |
solvent |
flavour |
fragrance |
|
methyl ethanoate |
glue |
glues |
paints |
nail polish remover |
|
ethyl ethanoate |
apple |
glues etc |
solvents |
decaffeination |
|
propyl ethanoate |
pear |
solvent |
flavour |
fragrance |
|
butyl ethanoate |
banana or apple |
lacquers |
flavour |
|
|
pentyl ethanoate |
banana or apple |
lacquers |
solvents |
resins |
|
methyl butanoate |
apple or pineapple |
flavour |
fragrance |
|
|
ethyl butanoate |
pineapple |
flavour |
fragrance |
plasticiser |
|
propyl hexanoate |
blackberry or cheese |
flavour |
solvent |
fragrance |
Table: The uses of some esters.
The following experiment will help you to prepare esters. Use what you have learned in this section to answer the questions that follow.
Optional Experiment: Preparation of Esters
Aim
To prepare and identify esters.
Apparatus
-
Methanol (\(\text{CH}_{3}\text{OH}\)), ethanol (\(\text{CH}_{3}\text{CH}_{2}(\text{OH})\)),
pentan-1-ol (\(\text{CH}_{3}\text{CH}_{2}\text{CH}_{2}\text{CH}_{2}\text{CH}_{2}(\text{OH})\)), methanoic acid (\(\text{HCOOH}\)),
ethanoic acid (\(\text{CH}_{3}\text{COOH}\)), sulfuric acid (\(\text{H}_{2}\text{SO}_{4}\))
-
Marble chips (or small, clean stones)
-
Five tall test tubes or beakers, a water bath, a hot-plate (or bunsen burner), a thermometer, rubber bands, paper towel, five bowls of cold water
Method
Warning:
Concentrated acids can cause serious burns. We suggest using gloves and safety glasses whenever you work with an acid. Always add the acid to the water and avoid sniffing the acid.
Remember that all alcohols are toxic, methanol is particularly toxic and can cause blindness, coma or death. Handle all chemicals with care.
-
Place the marble chips (or clean stones) in the test tubes and label them A - E.
-
Add \(\text{4}\) \(\text{ml}\) methanoic acid to test tubes A and B.
-
Add \(\text{4}\) \(\text{ml}\) ethanoic acid to test tubes C, D and E.
-
Add \(\text{5}\) \(\text{ml}\) methanol to test tubes A and C.
-
Add \(\text{5}\) \(\text{ml}\) ethanol to test tubes B and D.
-
Add \(\text{5}\) \(\text{ml}\) pentanol to test tube E.
-
Slowly add \(\text{2}\) \(\text{ml}\) \(\text{H}_{2}\text{SO}_{4}\) to each test tube.
-
Soak the paper towel in cold water and attach it to the sides near the top of each test tube with a rubber band (do not close the test tube, just wrap the paper around the sides near the top).
-
Heat the water bath to \(\text{60}\) \(\text{℃}\) (using the hot-plate or bunsen burner) and place the test tubes in it for \(\text{10}\)-\(\text{15}\) \(\text{min}\).
-
After \(\text{10}\)-\(\text{15}\) \(\text{min}\) cool each test tube in cold water. Label the bowls of cold water A - E and pour the contents of test tube A into bowl A, etc.
-
Observe the surface of the water and note the smell in each bowl.
Questions
-
What is the purpose of the \(\text{H}_{2}\text{SO}_{4}\)?
-
What is the purpose of the wet paper towel?
-
What did you observe on the top of the water in each bowl at the end?
-
Fill in the details in a table like the one below:
Carboxylic acid
Alcohol
Product
Smell
methanoic acid
methanol
methanoic acid
ethanol
ethanoic acid
methanol
ethanoic acid
ethanol
ethanoic acid
pentanol
Discussion and Conclusion
An ester is the product of an acid-catalysed condensation between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid. Esters have identifiable aromas (like the fragrant smell and odour of fruit) and are used in perfumes. If you didn't smell anything it is likely that your water bath was set at too high a temperature and the ester degraded.
Esters are less water soluble than the carboxylic acid they were formed from and appear as an oily substance on water. Before being cooled however some of the ester would have been a vapour, so the wet paper towel would help to prevent a loss of the product.
Refer to the table above and see if the smells match those listed there. Remember to waft the smell towards you using your hand, do not sniff the fumes directly!
This lesson is part of:
Organic Molecules