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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: newbie on April 27, 2005, 01:56:28 PM

Title: Fischer Esterification
Post by: newbie on April 27, 2005, 01:56:28 PM

In lab we synthesized pentyl aceate from pentyl alcohol, acetic acid and sulfuric acid.  Now, I am wondering why we could not synthesize ethyl acetate by this same process?  Will ethanol undergo dehydration under these conditions?
If that's the reason, then why wouldn't pentyl alcohol?   There must be another reason, I just can't seem to think of it.  


thanks!

Title: Re:Fischer Esterification
Post by: AWK on April 28, 2005, 01:27:06 AM

Isolation of ethyl acetate from a reaction mixture in this method is horrible

Title: Re: Fischer Esterification
Post by: mkaplan4 on July 07, 2006, 03:55:56 AM

the problem with ethyl acetate is that it is a widely used organic solvent used for extractions, dissolving compounds, etc. It is prepared on large scale and pretty much every lab I know of uses it quite frequently. I'm not sure why you would want to make it, but i suppose you could.