Fischer esterification is which type of reaction:
Correct answer: A. Condensation
- A. Condensation
- B. Substitution
- C. Elimination
- D. Dehydrogenation
Explanation
A carboxylic acid and an alcohol join with the loss of a small molecule, water, which is the definition of a condensation, and concentrated sulphuric acid catalyses it while also shifting the equilibrium by removing that water. The reaction is reversible, so the yield is never complete. Nucleophilic acyl substitution describes the mechanism, but the reaction type the question asks for is condensation.
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About Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Carboxylic acid derivatives include acid halides, acid anhydrides, esters and amides, formed by replacing the hydroxyl group of a carboxylic acid. Their nomenclature, structures, preparation, hydrolysis and relative reactivity are linked through nucleophilic acyl substitution, which differs from the nucleophilic addition reactions of aldehydes and ketones.
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