Final answer:
Carboxylic acids react with alcohols in the presence of an acid catalyst to form esters.
Step-by-step explanation:
Carboxylic acids react with alcohols to produce esters. This reaction is catalyzed by an acid catalyst (cat). The general equation for this reaction is:
Carboxylic Acid + Alcohol + Acid(cat) → Ester + Water
For example, when acetic acid reacts with ethanol, the ester ethyl acetate is formed:
CH3COOH + CH3CH2OH → CH3COOCH2CH3 + H2O