Esterification: Ethanol Ethanoic acid > Ethyl ethanoate water

Question

With reference to the equation showing structural formulae, please explain which part of the ethanol and ethanoic acid is broken into to react with the other. (try to explain as simple as u can) thx

Answer 1

I agree with the first post.

Esterification was on one of the PCAT, The answer was an alcohol and acid combination reaction.

For more detailed Organic Chemistry, check out

www.yourformulasheet.com  

Answer 2

ethanol is C2H5-OH and ethanoic acid is CH3-COOH  

SO   (CH3-COOH+ HO-H5C2)                   HO-H5C2 is same as C2H5-OH  

from the above equation u see that hydrogen of ethanoic acid reacts with OH of ethanol  to produce water and the ester ethyle ethanoate

(CH3-COOC2H5)