[wm334]

Hi,

When we make esters at University via Fischer Esterification we do it under reflux.  At work I am asked to make Benzyl formate but do so without equipment, after doing so by gentle heating and also without I get sweet smelling solution on both occasions.

the reaction goes ahead in situ? without being heated? reflux increases the yield? I added HCl catalyst as per the mechanism.

What is the difference?

[discodermolide]

What does heat do to a chemical reaction?
What is the mechanism of esterification, can you see why heat and or something else may be required?

[wm334]

I would say heating speeds up the reaction, but it does not lower an activation energy?

I can see where the Hydrogen is needed as a catalyst to protonate the carbonyl.  But not an effect of temperature to the mechanism.

The only plus I can see is by distilling off the unreacted alcohol and acid your left with the ester of bp 250. But I can just seperate them cold.

[discodermolide]

Esterification is an equlibrium. Once the system reaches it it won't move. So you get rid of one of the components, water, to drive the equlibrium to completion. So a Dean-Stark apparatus will do this for you, as will the use of 96% sulfuric acid.