Master NCEA Level 3 Organic Chemistry Reaction Schemes. Prepare with multiple choice questions, complete with hints and detailed explanations. Ace your exam with our comprehensive tools!

Multiple Choice

Fischer esterification of benzoic acid with ethanol yields which compound?

Fischer esterification is an acid-catalyzed reversible reaction where a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol to form an ester and water. Here, benzoic acid (the carboxylic acid) and ethanol (the alcohol) combine under acid catalysis and heat to give ethyl benzoate as the ester, with water as the byproduct. Because the reaction is equilibrium, removing water or using excess ethanol helps push the system toward the ester product. The other possibilities don’t arise from this process: benzoic acid would stay as starting material if the reaction didn’t proceed, ethanol is the reactant, and benzaldehyde would require a different reaction route (oxidation or different reagents) rather than Fischer esterification.

Fischer esterification is an acid-catalyzed reversible reaction where a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol to form an ester and water. Here, benzoic acid (the carboxylic acid) and ethanol (the alcohol) combine under acid catalysis and heat to give ethyl benzoate as the ester, with water as the byproduct. Because the reaction is equilibrium, removing water or using excess ethanol helps push the system toward the ester product. The other possibilities don’t arise from this process: benzoic acid would stay as starting material if the reaction didn’t proceed, ethanol is the reactant, and benzaldehyde would require a different reaction route (oxidation or different reagents) rather than Fischer esterification.