Question

Write the chemical equations for the reaction of Ethanoic acid (Acetic acid) with Ethanol in the presence of conc. ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$.

Answer 1

• The reaction of Ethanol and Ethanoic acid in the presence of conc. ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$ to produce Ethyl acetate is called an esterification reaction.
• The chemical reaction is as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{Conc}.{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COOC}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right) \\ \mathrm{Ethanol}\mathrm{Ethanoic}\mathrm{acid}\mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{acetate} \end{gathered}$$