Question

Write an equation to represent the reaction between ethanoic acid and ethanol in the presence of conc. ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$. What is the general name of this reaction.

Answer 1

The reaction of alcohol $\left(\mathrm{ROH}\right)$ with an organic acid $\left(\mathrm{RCOOH}\right)$ in the presence of concentrated Sulphuric acid $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ forms the ester $\left(\mathrm{RCOOR}\right)$ and water as a major product is called an esterification reaction.

The chemical reaction of Ethanoic acid $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\right)$ and Ethanol $\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\right)$ forms the ester that is Ethyl ethanoate $\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5{\mathrm{COOCH}}_3\right)$ and water in the presence of concentrated Sulphuric acid.

The general name of this reaction is called the esterification reaction.

Chemical reaction

The chemical reaction of Ethanol and Ethanoic acid is written as:

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}+{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\stackrel{\mathrm{conc}.{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5{\mathrm{COOCH}}_3+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O} \\ (\mathrm{Ethanoic}(\mathrm{Ethanol})(\mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{ethanoate})(\mathrm{Water}) \\ \mathrm{acid}) \end{gathered}$$