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An ester of a carboxylic acid.R stands for any group (typically hydrogen or organyl) and R ′ stands for any organyl group.. In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group (−OH) of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (R ′). [1]
The final step in the reduction of carboxylic acids and esters is hydrolysis of the aluminium alcoxide. [8] Esters (and amides) are more easily reduced than the parent carboxylic acids. Their reduction affords alcohols and amines, respectively. [9] The idealized equation for the reduction of an ester by lithium aluminium hydride is:
Transesterification is the process of exchanging the organic functional group R″ of an ester with the organic group R' of an alcohol. These reactions are often catalyzed by the addition of an acid or base catalyst. [1] Strong acids catalyze the reaction by donating a proton to the carbonyl group, thus making it a more potent electrophile.
Unlike acid-catalyzed ester hydrolysis, it is not an equilibrium reaction and proceeds to completion. Hydroxide ion attacks the carbonyl carbon to give a tetrahedral intermediate, which then expels an alkoxide ion. The resulting carboxylic acid quickly protonates the alkoxide ion to give a carboxylate ion and an alcohol. [1]
An ester of carboxylic acid. R stands for any group (organic or inorganic) and R′ stands for organyl group. In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group (−OH) of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (−R).
The hydroxide anion adds to the carbonyl group of the ester. The immediate product is called an orthoester. Saponification part I. Expulsion of the alkoxide generates a carboxylic acid: Saponification part II. The alkoxide ion is a strong base so the proton is transferred from the carboxylic acid to the alkoxide ion, creating an alcohol:
In acid-catalyzed Fischer esterification, the proton binds to oxygens and functions as a Lewis acid to activate the ester carbonyl (top row) as an electrophile, and converts the hydroxyl into the good leaving group water (bottom left). Both lower the kinetic barrier and speed up the attainment of chemical equilibrium.
The classic example of a dehydration reaction is the Fischer esterification, which involves treating a carboxylic acid with an alcohol to give an ester RCO 2 H + R′OH ⇌ RCO 2 R′ + H 2 O. Often such reactions require the presence of a dehydrating agent, i.e. a substance that reacts with water.