Esterification question

[AngloScot]

What gas is responsible for the effervescence given off during the esterification of sodium carbonate?

[Wraith]

Carbon dioxide?

[j2buttonsw]

Esterification is the reaction of an alcohol with a carboxylic acid. This is often done in the presence of an acid catalyst and the result is water. Now sodium carbonate, I believe, is not a caboxylic acid (more acurately not a salt of a carboxylic acid), it is the salt of carbonic acid and it is, as such, a base. I am not clear how sodium carbonate can be esterified. Carbonic acid can decompose to water and carbon dioxide (as a gas) but I am not sure how they are related.

[Wraith]

es�ter�i�fi�ca�tion (-str-f-kshn) n.

A chemical reaction resulting in the formation of at least one ester product.

[j2buttonsw]

Well Wraith, tell me: what is the ester product?

[Wraith]

I have no idea j2buttonsw, my first answer was a guess, based on experiments we did at school with sodium carbonate (hence the question mark) and my second answer was copied from an on-line dictionary. In trying to understand the question I looked up the meaning of the word esterification and posted it here in case anyone else was unsure as to its meaning.

 

I am no expert in chemistry, but the question intrigued me and I wanted to know more.

 

Try this link DJ Gr@y it may be of use.

 

 

http://tinyurl.com/65wah

" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/65wah">http://tinyurl.com/65wah

 

[Wraith]

Sorry, but that link doesn't work. Try this instead.

http://www.skoool.ie/skoool/examcentre_sc.asp?id=794

 

 

[Gef]

j2buttonsw's description of esterification is correct. The usual catalyst is a small amount of concentrated sulphuric acid. To isolate the ester product the reaction mixture is poured into sodium carbonate (or hydrogencarbonate) solution and any excess acid reacts with this producing carbon dioxide gas.

[j2buttonsw]

Ah, Gef that makes perfect sense. Thanks for that.

[AngloScot]

I'm glad that ones cleared up, or is it? I'll post the answer my chemistry teacher says it is when i find out from my homework.Thanks

[Gef]

Let me know DJ Gr@y - I am a chemistry teacher LOL.