About the making of ester?

Question

recently, I read a text book that said:

in the reaction that make ester, the OH from R-COOH is replaced by the OR' form R'-OH e, forming H2O. The rest form ester. Is that true ?

I personally think it is wasier to seperate H from acid and OH, right ?

Answer 1

Well - no - it's not easier:

The carbon of acid has positive charge on it, so it gets readily attacked by the O of the R'OH. This forms an intermediate, where the C has two OH's and one R'O groups on it. This could be broken two ways - leaving RCOOR' and H2O or leaving RCOOH and R'OH (thus doing nothing).

You cannot abstract the OH from alcohol, since this bond is too strong, and carbocation would be created, being totally unfavourable.