Question

What is the difference between saponification and esterification

Answer 1

Dear student ,
Esterification is the reaction between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid in presence of an acid H⁺,
while the reverse of the esterification is known as hydrolysis of ester in presence of either an acid or an alkali , and when an alkali is taken for the hydrolysis of ester the reaction is known as saponification .
RCOOR^' + H₂O $\stackrel{OH\overline{}}{\to }$ RCOO^- + R"OH
Regards