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Reactivity of Esters

Last updated

Jan 23, 2023
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- Properties of Esters
- Acid Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Esters

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Topic hierarchy

Acid Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Esters
Acid Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Esters (II)
Esters can be converted aldehydes using diisobutylaluminum hydride (DIBAH).
Esters can be reduced to 1° alcohols using $LiAlH_4$
General mechanism of ester reactions
Grignard Reagents Convert Esters into Tertiary Alcohols
Polyesters
This page looks at the formation, structure and uses of a common polyester sometimes known as Terylene if it is used as a fibre, or PET if it used in, for example, plastic drinks bottles
Saponification
Esters can be cleaved back into a carboxylic acid and an alcohol by reaction with water and a base. The reaction is called a saponification from the Latin sapo which means soap. The name comes from the fact that soap used to be made by the ester hydrolysis of fats. Due to the basic conditions a carboxylate ion is made rather than a carboxylic acid.
The Hydrolysis of Esters
This page describes ways of hydrolyzing esters - splitting them into carboxylic acids (or their salts) and alcohols by the action of water, dilute acid or dilute alkali. It starts by looking at the hydrolysis of simple esters like ethyl ethanoate, and goes on to look at hydrolyzing bigger, more complicated ones to make soap.
Transesterification
Transesterification is the conversion of a carboxylic acid ester into a different carboxylic acid ester.

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