Organic chemistry · Grade 11
Making an ester
ChemAI · Worksheet
NameClassDate
Aim
Ethanoic acid + ethanol, with a catalyst: a fruity smell.
⚠ Concentrated sulfuric acid is very corrosive.
Before you start: what do you predict will happen? Why?
What you do
| Step | What I observed | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Add a few drops of concentrated sulfuric acid (catalyst). | |
| 2 | Warm it in the water bath for a few minutes (×5 helps). Ethanol is flammable: no flame. | |
| 3 | Waft the smell. |
Questions
- Write a word or symbol equation for one reaction you observed.
- Explain your most important observation using particles, ions or energy.
- Was your prediction right? What would you change to get a more reliable result?