[christoph2606]

Hi all!
I came across this forum because I had a very specific question about a chemical reaction that unfortunately no-one in my environment could answer.
I work with polyesters made from citric acid and a co-polymer (usually a sugar alcohol). For a specific application, I came up with the idea of synthesising these polyesters in a superheated steam atmosphere. The reaction of citric acid and sugar alcohols is an esterification in which water is split off as an end product. The reaction is reversible.
Does the hot steam atmosphere consisting entirely of water molecules prevent or inhibit esterification because the reaction is shifted to the side of the reactants? Or do you have to differentiate between liquid water and gaseous water in this case? How should I visualise the state of the water that is created during the reaction? Is it initially liquid and then immediately changes to the gas phase?

As you can probably see, I have no background in chemistry. I would be all the more grateful for a brief answer to my questions.

Best regards
Christoph

[Borek]

Does the hot steam atmosphere consisting entirely of water molecules prevent or inhibit esterification because the reaction is shifted to the side of the reactants?

It will definitely shift the equilibrium. Whether it makes the reaction impossible is another question, but hot steam sounds more like a good way of starting hydrolysis of any polyester, than as a way of proceeding with the synthesis.