Esters Lab

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Introduction: Well known for their pleasant smell, esters have a specific formula. The main Carbon is attached to an R group and two Oxygen molecules. One of these molecules is double bonded to the Carbon, while the other is single bonded, and has an R’ group attached on the other side. The structural formula is R–COO–R’. Esters are known for their ability to create a wide variety of smells and flavors, and are commonly used for this purpose. Examples if these odors can include apple, banana, grape, mint. Many foods can be flavored with an ester, and contain none of the actual ingredients of that taste. This is common in certain juices and candies. Esters are also commonly used in scented candles or air fresheners for cars to give a variety …show more content…

The ester studied was “3,” the acid used was 9.5 mL of “B,” and the alcohol used was 18.1 mL of “C.” A few substances were added to augment the production of the ester. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) was added using a dropper bottle to catalyze the reaction. The desiccant in this reaction was drierite and was used to absorb the water byproduct. This prevented the ester from breaking apart into its constituents. The cold finger condenser was used to trap evaporated gas from the heated mixture, and condense it back into …show more content…

If the ratio was larger, or smaller, this would indicate that there is too much of one or the other. In this experiment, the goal was to form an ester and prevent the reverse reaction from occurring. An incorrect molar ratio could prevent the completion of this reaction, and impede this goal. Conclusion: In this lab, the production of esters and the process of esterification was studied. Concepts learned include molar ratio calculation, and ester constituents (carboxylate acid and alcohol). In addition, the use of a cold finger condenser and its purpose in ester reactions was discovered. The effects of drierite on reactions and its ability to absorb water was also studied. Concepts of stoichiometry were reviewed from previous classes, and integrated into this lab experiment as well. Citations: Thorne, E. J. (2015). Laboratory Manual for General Chemistry. Wiley Custom Learning Solutions. Print. Tro, N. J. (2015). Chemistry: Structure and Properties. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

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