carbon compound [part 7]
SPM Form 5 – Terminology and Concepts: Carbon Compounds (Part 7)
Non-Hydrocarbon – Esters
1. General formula: CnH2n+1COOCmH2m+1
Where n = 0, 1, 2, 3 … and m = 1, 2, 3 … (n and m = number of carbon)
RCOOR‘ where R and R‘ represented the same or different alkyl groups.
2. Esters are non-hydrocarbons which contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms.
3. The functional group in ester is carboxylate group, – COO -.
CnH2n+1COOH + CmH2m+1OH –> CnH2n+1COOCmH2m+1 + H2O
- First part: taken from the alcohol (alkyl group)
- Second part: taken from the carboxylic acid (-oic to -oate)
Name of ester | Molecular formula of ester | Prepared from |
Ethyl methanoate | HCOOC2H5 | Ethanol + Methanoic acid |
Methyl ethanoate | CH3COOCH3 | Methanol + Ethanoic acid |
Propyl ethanoate | CH3COOC3H7 | Propanol + Ethanoic acid |
Ethyl propanoate | C2H5COOC2H5 | Ethanol + Propanoic acid |
4. Physical properties of ester
Name | Odour |
3-metylbutyl acetate | Banana |
Ethyl butanoate | Pineapple |
Octyl ethanoate | Orange |
Isoamyl isovalerate | Apple |
- Simple esters are colourless liquid and are found in fruits and flowers.
- Esters have sweet pleasant smell.
- Esters are covalent compounds.
- Esters are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvent.
- Esters are less dense than water.
- Esters are neutral and cannot conduct electricity.
- The higher and more complex esters have higher boiling points and less volatile.
Natural sources:
- Vegetable oils (palm oil) and liquids esters can be found in plants derived from glycerol and fatty acids.
- Fats are solid esters (milk fat) derived from glycerol and fatty acids.
- Waxes (beewax) are solid ester derived from long-chain fatty acids and long-chain alcohols.
5. Uses of Esters
- Preparation of cosmetics and perfumes (esters are volatile and have sweet smell).
- Synthetic esters used as food additives (artificial flavour).
- Natural esters serves as storage reserve of energy in living things.
- In plant, wax (esters) helps to prevent dehydration and attack of microorganisms.
- Esters used as solvents for glue and varnishes.
- Esters used to make plastics softer.
- Esters used to produce polyester (threads and synthetics fabrics)
- Esters used to produce soap and detergents.
..........got it from http://berryberryeasy.com/........
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