Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry
Diazo
methane
:
An explosive, yellowish gas of
molecular formula
CH
2
N
2
and the
molecular structure
shown below.
Diazo
methane
has many uses, but is perhaps most commonly encountered as a
reactant
to convert a
carboxylic acid
into the corresponding
methyl
ester
.
Diazo
methane
resonance contributors
.
Use of
diazo
methane
to
produce
a
methyl
ester
.
Benzoic acid
(
Ph
CO
2
H
; a
carboxylic acid
) reacts with
diazo
methane
to
produce
methyl
benzoate
(
Ph
CO
2
CH
3
; a
methyl
este
r) and nitrogen gas.
Related terms:
Fischer esterification
,
diazo compound
,
azo compound
,
diazonium cation
,
diazonium salt
,
ylide
Wikipedia entry
Return to glossary index