Question

Name the organic compound prepared in the following reaction

${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}+\hspace{0.17em}{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\underset{{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\overset{\mathrm{Conc}.}{\to }}$

Answer 1

When Ethanol ($C_2{H}_{5}OH$) is warmed with Ethanoic acid ($C{H}_{3}COOH$) in presence of a few drops of concentrated Sulphuric acid ($H_{2}S{O}_4$), the sweet smell of Ethyl ethanoate i.e. Ethyl acetate ($C{H}_{3}COO{C}_2{H}_5$) is produced.

The process of the formation of an ester i.e. Ethyl acetate ($C{H}_{3}COO{C}_2{H}_5$) by the combination of Ethanol ($C_2{H}_{5}OH$) with Ethanoic acid ($C{H}_{3}COOH$) is known as esterification and the chemical reaction is as follows.

$\underset{\mathrm{Ethanol}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}}\left(l\right)+\hspace{0.17em}\underset{\mathrm{Ethanoic}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}\underset{{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\overset{\mathrm{Conc}.}{\to }}\underset{\underset{\left(\mathrm{Ester}\right)}{\mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{acetate}}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COOC}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$