Lab 2: Esters and the Fischer Esterification Reaction

What is the purpose of the acid catalyst? 

to protonate the leaving group, making it more susceptible to nucleophilic attack

All reaction steps in the Fischer esterification are reversible. This means that without an excess of one reactant, at equilibrium carboxylic acid and alcohol are ______________

remain in solution

t-BME stands for:

t-butyl methyl ether

Which chemical will be used to dry the ester layer for 5 minutes before it is safe to smell your solutions?

sodium sulfate

In the elimination step of Fischer esterification, which molecule is eliminated if the tetrahedral intermediate contains a protonated -OH group?

water

If you add water to one of your Fischer esterification reactions, the reaction will favor the formation of the ester product. (T/F)

false

The carboxylic acids you will be using in this lab are pleasant smelling. (T/F)

false

The Fischer esterification reaction is reversible. List 2 ways to push the reaction to favor the ester product.

To favor the ester product, you have to add an excess amount of a reactant (either an acid or alcohol) or remove a product as it gets formed (usually H2O).

Why was water added following the reaction?

to separate the ester from unreacted material

Swhy was sodium bicarbonate added to the ester product?

Sodium bicarbonate is a base, so we are adding a base to the ether solution that was made using an acid and alcohol. Since these are the reactants, the solution will be more acidic, so a base needs to be added to obtain an ester. An ester is neutral, so sodium bicarbonate acts as the base and is added to the ether solution containing the reactants that are more acidic.