This key facts covers Ester Naming and Conditions within Carboxylic Acids for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Carboxylic Acids in Organic Chemistry for GCSE Chemistry with 22 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 7 of 15 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
🏷️ Ester Naming and Conditions
How to name an ester: The name comes from the alcohol first, then the acid. Change the "-anol" of the alcohol to the alcohol stem + "-yl", and change "-oic acid" to "-oate".
- Ethanol + Ethanoic acid → Ethyl ethanoate
- Methanol + Propanoic acid → Methyl propanoate
Conditions for esterification: Concentrated sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) as a catalyst, and the mixture is heated. The reaction is reversible (⇌), so excess acid or alcohol is used to improve yield.
Practice questions for Carboxylic Acids
What is the functional group present in all carboxylic acids?
Explain why carboxylic acids are described as weak acids.