Carboxylic acids and Esters Flashcards
How do you test for carboxylic acids?
Add sodium carbonate, which will cause fizzing
How are esters made?
Reacting carboxylic acids with alcohols in a condensation reaction. This reaction is reversible.
How would you make methyl ethanoate?
Methyl from alcohol and ethanoate from carboxylic acid.
Ethanoic acid + mathanol <=> Methyl ethanoate + water
Are carboxylic acids weak or strong acids?
Weak acids
What catalyses the reaction between carboxylic acids and alcohols to produce esters?
Concentrated sulphuric acid
What are the uses of esters?
Perfumes, biodiesel, food flavourings and plasticisers
What alcohol are vegetable oils and fats esters of?
Vegetable oils and animal fats are esters of
propane-1,2,3-triol (glycerol).
What is produced when esters are hydrolysed in acidic conditions?
Carboxylic acids and alcohols (add excess water to ensure the reaction moves in the forward direction)
What is produced when esters are hyrdolysed in alkaline conditions?
Forms a salt (which reduced carboxylic acid so that the p.o.e moves in the forward direction and will eventually reach completion)
What can be produced from vegetable oils and animal fats?
Hydrolysed in alkaline conditions to give soap (long chain salt) and glycerol
What is biodiesel?
A mixture of methyl esters of long-chain
carboxylic acids.
How are biodiesels produced?
By reacting vegetable oils with
methanol in the presence of a catalyst (usually NaOH)
