Question
Give plausible explanation for each of the following:
During the preparation of esters from a carboxylic acid and an alcohol in the presence of an acid catalyst, the water or the ester should be removed as fast as it is formed.
Solution
The nature of reaction, esterification of carboxylic acid, is reversible as ester formed reacts with water and produces reactants and thus an equilibrium is set up between reactants and products. The removal of ester or water shifts the equilibrium to right according to Le-Chatelier’s principle and more and more ester is formed.
