Question

What happens when Ethyl alcohol and Acetic acid react together in the presence of conc. ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$? Write the chemical equation of the reaction.

Answer 1

Part 1:

1. The reaction of an alcohol with an acid in the presence of conc. ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$ to form an ester is called an esterification reaction.
2. The reaction of Ethyl alcohol and Acetic acid in the presence of conc. ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$ forms Ethyl acetate.

Part 2:

1. The chemical reaction is as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to {\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COOCH}}_2{\mathrm{CH}}_3\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right) \\ \mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{alcohol}\mathrm{Acetic}\mathrm{acid}\mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{acetate} \end{gathered}$$