Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Ester
ification:
A reaction which
produces
an
ester
. The reaction often involves an
alcohol
and a
Bronsted acid
(such as a
carboxylic acid
,
sulfuric acid
, or
phosphoric acid
).
In this example of the
Fischer esterification reaction
,
benzoic acid
(a
carboxylic acid
; the
reactant
shown in red) is esterified with
methanol
(an
alcohol
, the reaction
solvent
, and the
reactant
shown in blue) in the presence of
sulfuric acid
(an
acid catalyst
) to form
methyl
benzoate
(an
ester
).
Water
, the other
reaction product
, is removed as formed in order to shift the reaction
equilibrium
towards the
products
(via
Le Chatelier's principle
).
The first step in
glycolysis
is an
ester
ification reaction.
Phosphorylation
of
glucose
with
ATP
and
hexokinase
(an
enzyme
) gives
glucose
-6-
phosphate
, a
phosphate
ester
.
Related terms:
Transesterification
,
saponification
,
cat.
,
substitution reaction
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