<Exploring the mechanism of esterification>?

Question

In esterification, a carboxylic acid and an alcohol react to form an ester and water when an strong acid is present as a catalyst. During this reaction, is the carboxylic acid or the alcohol protonated by the acid catalyst? Why?

Answer 1

It&#039;s the acid........See the description below of the first step in the esterification of ethanol with acetic acid...........

In the first step, the ethanoic acid takes a proton (a hydrogen ion) from the concentrated sulphuric acid. The proton becomes attached to one of the lone pairs on the oxygen which is double-bonded to the carbon.

This is taken from:

http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/cata...

where you will find the process described in excruciating detail!