Formation of Esters From Alcohols & Carboxylic Acids

Alcohols and carboxylic acids react with each other to form esters. This reaction is called esterification reaction and is reversible in nature.

Acid catalysed esterification is an equilibrium reaction. The equilibrium can be shifted to the right side towards products by removing water or the ester from the reaction mixture. Also if excess of one reagent is used, then the equilibrium shifts towards the right side to give the ester. Normally, excess of alcohol is taken and used as a solvent to carry out esterification.

Esters are named as alkyl alkanoates.The alkyl part comes from the alcohol while the alkanoate portion is derived from the carboxylic acid.