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Esterification Lab

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Introduction:

Esters are organic compounds which are naturally found in many flowers and fruits, esters are also created synthetically by a reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol leading the formation of an ester, and water called esterification. The reaction uses an acid catalyst to speed up the process ex. Sulfuric acid (p.51 Nelson, 2010).

Esterification

The letters R in the reaction represent alkyl groups which are made up of carbon atom(s). An esters structure as shown contains a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom, single bonded to an oxygen atom which is bonded to an alkyl group, and single bonded to another alkyl group as shown in the image (p.49 Nelson, 2010). The first portion of an esters name is derived

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