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Esters contain the ester group, COO, in which a carbonyl carbon is bonded to an oxygen atom that is joined to another carbon. The general formula is RCOOR', where RCO comes from the carboxylic acid (R can be H) and R' comes from the alcohol.
Naming: the alkyl group from the alcohol is named first, then the acid part, ending in '-oate'. In a formula written RCOOR', the part joined to the C=O is the acid part.
• CH3COOCH3: methyl ethanoate
• HCOOCH2CH3: ethyl methanoate
• CH3CH2COOCH3: methyl propanoate
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More in Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives
- Reduction of Carboxylic Acids
- Reactions with Bases
- Reaction with PCl5
- Esterification
- Acyl Chlorides
- Reactions of Acyl Chlorides with Water, Alcohols, Ammonia and Amines
- Hydrolysis of Esters
- Polyesters
All 12 lessons in Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives · All Edexcel A-level Chemistry topics