Final answer:
When a carboxylic acid reacts with alcohol, an ester is formed. This reaction, called esterification, proceeds by replacing the -OH group in the acid with the -OR' group from the alcohol, producing water as a by-product.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol, the organic product is an ester. This reaction is known as esterification and typically requires an acid catalyst to proceed. In this process, the -OH group of the carboxylic acid is replaced by the -OR' group of the alcohol, with water being produced as a by-product. For instance, if acetic acid (CH3COOH) reacts with ethanol (CH3CH2OH), the ester formed is ethyl acetate (CH3COOCH2CH3), and water (H2O) is also produced. Here's the general reaction:
Carboxylic Acid (R-COOH) + Alcohol (R'-OH) → Ester (R-COOR') + Water (H2O)
The process involves the nucleophilic attack of the alcohol oxygen on the carbonyl carbon of the acid, followed by the elimination of water. An effective catalyst commonly used for this reaction is concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which helps in removing the water formed during the reaction, thereby driving the reaction towards the formation of the ester.