Esters Lab

The Production of Esters and their Smell

Nucci, Daniel

Course: SCH4U

Mr. Ryan

Performed: September 25/28th, 2015

Due: October 8th, 2015

Abstract:

Esters are organic compounds commonly found in fruits and other compounds. An Ester’s chemical composure is any number of carbons linked together with an oxygen in the chain and another oxygen on the same carbon as the previous. A possible chemical formula is as follows:

Methanoate Molecule (source: www.chemspider.com)

Methanoate Molecule (source: www.chemspider.com)

In this study, 7 different esters where created through the mixture of a carboxylic acid, an alcohol and a few drops of catalyst (sulphuric acid). After heating the mixture for approximately 10 minutes, a little water is added to take away excess material. The odor of the esters were then tested using the wafting method and recorded.

It was then determined that 6 of the 7 ester odors were accurately assessed.

Introduction:

An ester is a type of molecule that is derived from (usually) a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. An Ester always must have a COO group inside the molecule. Esters are very interesting molecules because on one end of the spectrum they produce nice fruity smells and on the other end they make up very essential oils and fats in the human body and other living organisms as well as inorganic polymers.

Primary when people think of esters they think of the pleasant fruity smell of them. In practice people generally use esters in the form of perfume or deodorants. In nature fruit use it to attract animals to it, in hopes that the animal will eat it.

Esters are also very common in living organisms because they make up fats. They make two types of fats: trans and saturated. A saturated fat is a very long string of carbons that are straight, because of this saturated fats are healthier and are more likely to be a liquid. Trans fats are like saturated fats but with one difference, it has a double bond in the middle of a...