QUESTIONS : 1.
Many of the flavours and smells of fruits are esters. A learner prepared an ester with a sme
Ilke banana in the school laboratory using pentanol and ethanoic acid. She set up the
apparatus as shown in the diagram below.
PAPER TOWEL DIPPED
-WATER BATH
IN COLD WATER
PEITANOL ETHANOIC
ACID+ 4 DROPS OF
SULPHURIC ACID
1.1 Which property of sulphuric acid makes it suitable to use as a catalyst for the
preparation of esters?
1.2 Why do we heat the test tube in a water bath and not directly over a flame?
1.3 With reference to the characteristic smells of esters, name TWO examples where
esters are used in different industries.
1.4 State ONE function of the wet paper towel in the opening of the test tube.
1.5 Write down the IUPAC name of an ester fomed.​

See explanation

Explanation:

Esterification is a reaction that involves the combination of an alkanoic acid and an alkanol. The product is always a sweet smelling substance.

Sulphuric acid acts as a catalyst in this reaction because it is a dehydrating agent thereby pushing the equilibrium position towards the right by the removal of water molecules.

The test tubs is heated in a water bath and not directly moved the flame because the alcohol is flammable. Also heating in a water bath helps to separate the reaction mixture from the newly formed ester.

Esters are used in industries that produces soaps and perfumes. There is a great need for the use of fragrances which are ester compounds in these industries.

The wet paper towel in the opening of the test tube cools the top of the test tube. It usually serves as a kind of condenser preventing an excess loss of vapour from the reaction mixture.

The reaction of pentanol and ethanoic acid yields pentyl ethanoate according to IUPAC nomenclature.