Question

Name an alcohol and a carboxylic acid having two carbon atoms in their structures. Draw their structures and state how this alcohol and carboxylic acid can be converted into a carboxylic acid. What happens when these two compounds react in the presence of an acid? Write chemical equations for the reactions involved in the two cases mentioned above. 

Hint:

Esterification is a reversible reaction in which an alcohol and a carboxylic acid react in the presence of a catalyst (usually an acid) to form an ester and water.

Answer 1

The alcohol with two carbon atoms is ethanol (C₂H₅OH), and the carboxylic acid with two carbon atoms is acetic acid (CH₃COOH). Ethanol Structure: \[ {C}_2{H}_5{OH} \] Ethanol can be oxidized to acetic acid (CH₃COOH) in the presence of oxygen or acid. Acetic acid Structure: \[ {CH}_3{COOH} \] Conversion of Ethanol to Acetic Acid: Ethanol oxidation forms acetic acid. The reaction is: \[ {C}_2{H}_5{OH} \xrightarrow{O_2} {CH}_3{COOH} \] This is an oxidation reaction, converting ethanol (an alcohol) to acetic acid (a carboxylic acid) via oxygen addition. Reaction of Ethanol and Acetic Acid in the Presence of Acid: Ethanol and acetic acid react in the presence of an acid (e.g., concentrated H₂SO₄) via esterification, forming ethyl acetate (an ester) and water. The chemical equation is: \[ {C}_2{H}_5{OH} + {CH}_3{COOH} \xrightarrow{H_2SO_4} {CH}_3{COOC}_2{H}_5 + {H}_2{O} \] In this reaction, ethyl acetate is formed along with water.