Question

The reaction of alcohols and carboxylic acids is called esterification.
A.True
B.False

Answer 1

The substitution reaction involving organic or inorganic acids and the alcohol functional groups as their reactants and proceeds with the help of acid catalysts is known as esterification reaction. The alcohol group is chemically represented as ${\text{ROH}}$ .

Complete step by step answer:
A family of compounds containing $- OH$ group directly attached to a single bonded carbon atom is known as alcohol. The chemical name for $- OH$ group is the hydroxyl group. As we all know that carbon and its derivatives are known as organic compounds, so one important derivative is carboxylic acid. This functional group contains the carboxyl group which is chemically represented as $- COOH$.
The reactions including carbon and derivatives of carbon are known as organic reactions, and esterification is one of them. The reaction in which the ester functional group is synthesized is known as esterification reaction. The ester functional group is derived from the reaction of an acid and an alcoholic compound. The acid used in the esterification reaction could be any, it can be organic acid or inorganic acid. So carboxylic acid can be used to synthesize ester functional groups.
The ester is formed when the hydroxyl group ($- OH$) is converted into alkoxy group ($- O -$). It is a substitution reaction.
The reaction involved in the formation of an ester is as follows:
$\underbrace {{\text{RCOOH}}}_{{\text{carboxylic acid}}}\xrightarrow[{{\text{acid catalyst}}}]{{\underbrace {{\text{R'OH}}}_{{\text{alcohol}}}}}\underbrace {{\text{RCOOR'}}}_{{\text{ester}}}{\text{ + }}\underbrace {{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{O}}}_{{\text{water}}}$
Here in this reaction ${\text{R and R'}}$ are the alkyl groups. The lone pair present on the oxygen atom of alcohol attacks on the central atom of carboxylic acid and the rearrangement of atoms results in the ester and this whole reaction is termed as esterification. This reaction proceeds with the help of an acid catalyst.
Hence it is true that the reaction of alcohols and carboxylic acids is called esterification.

So, option (A) is correct.

Note: Mostly esters are found in fruits. Esters are responsible for fruity odours. These are all opposite to acids, acids have unpleasant smell while esters have pleasant fruity smell. Due to weak intermolecular forces esters have smell, they change their physical phase to gaseous phase and reach to the nose and hence are able to smell.