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Esters are made by reacting an alcohol with an organic acid. They are used in perfumes, and as solvents. Some perfume ingredients are natural, while others are synthetic - made artificially. Nail varnish, for example, dissolves in nail varnish remover, but not in water.
Esters
Esters are chemicals with pleasant smells. They are used in perfumes, and as solvents.
Making esters
Esters occur naturally, but can be made in the laboratory by reacting an alcohol with an organic acid. A little sulfuric acid is needed as a catalyst. Here is the general word equation for the reaction:
alcohol + organic acid → ester + water
For example - methanol + butanoic acid → methyl butanoate + water
The diagram shows how this happens, and where the water comes from:
Making esters
What they smell like
Different esters have different smells.
| alcohol | organic acid | ester made | smell of ester |
|---|---|---|---|
| pentanol | ethanoic acid | pentyl ethanoate | pears |
| octanol | ethanoic acid | octyl ethanoate | bananas |
| pentanol | butanoic acid | pentyl butanoate | strawberries |
| methanol | butanoic acid | methyl butanoate | pineapples |
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