[1] these compounds contain a distinctive functional group. Ethyl acetate, for instance, is a commonly used solvent, and dialkyl phthalates are used as plasticizers to keep polymers from becoming brittle. Ester, any of a class of organic compounds that react with water to produce alcohols and organic or inorganic acids
Ester - Chemistry LibreTexts
Esters derived from carboxylic acids are the most common
Learn about the different types and reactions of esters and more in this article.
An ester is an organic compound where the hydrogen in the compound's carboxyl group is replaced with a hydrocarbon group Esters are derived from carboxylic acids and (usually) alcohol. The general structure of an ester is rcoor', where r and r' represent alkyl or aryl groups Esters are derived from the condensation reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, resulting in the elimination of water.
Key takeaway an ester has an or group attached to the carbon atom of a carbonyl group. The meaning of ester is any of a class of often fragrant organic compounds that can be represented by the formula rcoor' and that are usually formed by the reaction between an acid and an alcohol with elimination of water. Esterification is a chemical reaction in which an alcohol reacts with a carboxylic acid, acyl chloride, or acid anhydride to form an ester and a byproduct, typically water or hydrogen chloride. The ester linkage is also present in animal fats and in many biologically important molecules
The chemical industry uses esters for a variety of purposes
