Asked in PMC Practice Test 3 (2022) 2022Moderate

In the process of esterification, -OH is derived from?

Correct answer: B. Alcohol

  • A. Ether
  • B. Alcohol
  • C. Water
  • D. Both Options A and B are correct

Explanation

The question directly lifts from a statement in the Punjab book (11 Biology, Chapter 2: Biological Molecules). According to the book, the carboxylic acid releases H, which combines with a hydroxyl (-OH) group released from alcohol to form a water molecule. The remaining carboxylic acid and alcohol join together by an ester linkage to form an ester. However, that is incorrect. The OH group is released by carboxylic acid and H by alcohol. But since the options do not even list carboxylic acid, alcohol (option B) is our only choice.

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About Reactivity of Carboxylic Acids

Carboxylic acids show acidic behaviour because their carboxylate ions are resonance-stabilised, and electron-withdrawing groups can change their strength. Reactions include neutralisation, esterification, formation of acid chlorides and amides, reduction, decarboxylation and substitution at the acyl carbon, which differs from the reactions of phenols.

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