Esterification
What is esterification o Esterification is the chemical process for make esters, which are compounds of the chemical structure R-COOR', where R and R' are either alkyl or aryl groups. The most common method for preparing esters is to heat a carboxylic acid, R-CO-OH, with an alcohol, R'-OH, while removing the water that is formed. A mineral acid catalyst is usually needed to maked the reaction occur at a useful rate.
o Esters can also be formed by various other reactions. These include the reaction of an alcohol with an acid chloride (R-CO-Cl) or an anhydride (R-CO-O-COR').
o concluded that the ester product (R-CO-OR') is the union of the acyl group (R-C=O-) from the acid, RCO-OH, with the alkoxide group (R'O-) from the alcohol, R'-OH rather than other possible combinations.