An ester consists of a carbonyl with an alkyl or aryl group on one side and an oxygen bound to another alkyl or aryl group on the other side.
Simple esters, or those with short alkyl chains, have smells and flavors of fruits and flowers. The structure of the alkyl chain influences the smell of the ester. Changing the length or even the groups present in the simple ester can drastically change the scent produced by the ester.
In general, an ester is made from an acid in which at least one hydroxyl group (OH) is converted into an oxygen that is bonded to either an alkyl or aryl group. Most esters are formed from the reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, though other forms of esters exist, such as the phosphodiesters that form the backbone of DNA.
Le Chatelier's principle states that an equilibrium reaction can be driven in one direction by changing the concentration, pressure, temperature, or volume of the reagents or products. With a 1:1 mixture of carboxylic acid and alcohol, the esterification reaction reaches equilibrium with about 70% yield of the ester. By increasing the concentration of one of the reactants, either the carboxylic acid or the alcohol, the esterification reaction can be driven to reach equilibrium with about 90% yield of the ester.
The acid catalyst protonates the carboxylic acid via the double-bonded oxygen. This leads to an electron-poor carbon. The oxygen from the alcohol acts as a nucleophile, bonding with this carbon and losing a hydrogen in the process. The acid catalyst once again protonates the intermediate product, resulting in a restructuring of the product, where a water molecule leaves and the carbonyl group reforms. Deprotonation occurs to produce the final neutral ester.
Source: Lara Al Hariri at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA
Here, we show the laboratory preparation for 10 students working in pairs, with some excess. Please adjust quantities as needed.
Code | Compound | MW (g/mol) |
Density at RT (g/cm3) | Moles per vial | Grams per vial | cm3 per vial | Number of vials |
A | Acetic acid | 60.05 | 1.049 | 0.07 | 4.2035 | 4.0 | 3 |
B | Butyric acid | 88.11 | 0.953 | 0.07 | 6.1677 | 6.5 | 3 |
C | Anthranilic acid | 137.14 | – | 0.07 | 9.5998 | – | 1 |
D | 1-Propanol | 60.10 | 0.803 | 0.21 | 12.6210 | 15.7 | 1 |
E | Isoamyl alcohol | 88.15 | 0.810 | 0.21 | 18.512 | 22.8 | 1 |
F | 1-Butanol | 74.12 | 0.810 | 0.21 | 15.565 | 19.2 | 1 |
G | Ethanol | 46.07 | 0.789 | 0.21 | 9.6747 | 12.3 | 1 |
H | Methanol | 32.04 | 0.791 | 0.21 | 6.7284 | 8.5 | 2 |
I | 1-Octanol | 130.23 | 0.830 | 0.21 | 27.348 | 32.9 | 1 |
Ester code | Carboxylic acid | Alcohol | Ester product | Scent |
AD | Acetic acid | 1-Propanol | Propyl acetate | Pear |
AE | Acetic acid | Isoamyl alcohol | Isoamyl acetate | Banana |
AI | Acetic acid | 1-Octanol | Octyl acetate | Orange |
BF | Butyric acid | 1-Butanol | Butyl butyrate | Pineapple |
BG | Butyric acid | Ethanol | Ethyl butyrate | Strawberry |
BH | Butyric acid | Methanol | Methyl butyrate | Apple |
CH | Anthranilic acid | Methanol | Methyl anthranilate | Grape |
1 Lab stand |
2 3-prong clamps |
1 Stir plate |
1 Lab jack |
1 Heating mantle |
1 Temperature controller |
2 Pieces of tubing (for condenser) |
1 Joint clip |
1 Tube of vacuum grease |
1 Box of laboratory wipes |
1 10-mL graduated cylinder |
1 600-mL beaker |
1 50-mL round-bottom flask and flask stand |
1 Standard condenser |
1 Small stir bar |
1 Glass rod |
1 Package of pH paper |
2 Pasteur pipette bulbs |