Question

Predict the ester product of the following reaction

CH3OH + CH3CH2CH2COOH ---H2SO4-----> ? + H2O

Use the IUPAC name for the product

Answer 1

Concepts and reason

Fischer Esterification: In the presence of acid catalyst, carboxylic acid undergoes reaction with alcohol and forms ester as a product along with water.

The nomenclature of organic compounds is done with certain rules assigned by IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry). Generally, an IUPAC name pattern consists of 3 parts as follows:

• Root name

• Prefix

• Suffix

Fundamentals

Example for Fischer esterification reaction:

On naming IUPAC name for esters:

The prefix name is the name of alkyl group or aryl group that bonded directly with the oxygen atom.

The root name should be name of carboxylic acid parent.

The suffix tells the functional group present in the structure. For esters, the name should end with - ate.

${\rm{IUPAC name = prefix + root word + suffix}}$

Example:

For the above ester, the methyl group is directly bonded to oxygen which is called prefix. The root name is the carboxylic acid parent. For the above structure, the parent carboxylic acid is ethanoic acid. The name of the ester should end with –ate. Therefore, for the above structure, the IUPAC name of the ester is METHYL ETHANOATE.

Mechanism:

Ans:

The ester product for the given reaction: