Episode 7 — Matter & Materials - Organic Reactions

Esterification Reactions

Learners will be able to:

• Identify the reactants involved in an esterification reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. • Describe the role of sulfuric acid as a catalyst in the esterification reaction, including its function as a dehydrating agent. • Explain how water is formed as a byproduct of the esterification reaction. • Identify the carbonyl group that remains on the carbon adjacent to the joining oxygen in the product molecule. • Represent an esterification reaction using structural formula, including the correct representation of the water byproduct.