ester

(noun)

A compound most often formed by the condensation of an alcohol and an acid, with elimination of water. It contains the functional group C=O joined via carbon to another oxygen atom.

Related Terms

  • nitrile
  • carbonyl
  • olefin
  • alkene
  • ether
  • amide
  • hydrolysis

(noun)

a compound usually formed by condensing an alcohol and an acid and eliminating of water. it contains the functional group carbon-oxygen double bond joined via carbon to another oxygen atom

Related Terms

  • nitrile
  • carbonyl
  • olefin
  • alkene
  • ether
  • amide
  • hydrolysis

Examples of ester in the following topics:

  • Esters

    • Esters are ubiquitous.
    • Polymerized esters, or polyesters, are important plastics, with monomers linked by esteric units like this:
    • Ester names are derived from the parent alcohol and acid.
    • Cyclic esters are known as lactones.
    • Esters react with nucleophiles at the carbonyl carbon.
  • Reactions of Alkylidene Complexes

    • Since the carbene moiety of a Fischer carbene has many of the characteristics of a carbonyl group, it is instructive to begin our survey with some ester-like transformations.
    • The first diagram displays a few carbonyl-like reactions, which mimic organolithium addition to ketones (eq. # 1), ester amination (eq. # 2), the Wittig reaction (eq. # 3) and alpha-carbon alkylation (eq. # 4).
    • In most cases the carbene is a stronger activating group than the corresponding ester.
    • The last equation shows an unusual case of thermal [2+2]-cycloaddition, which does not take place with the ester equivalent.
  • Claisen Condensation

    • Esters undergo a similar transformation called the Claisen Condensation.
    • Greek letter assignments for the ester products are given in blue.
    • The specific alkoxide base used should match the alcohol component of the ester to avoid ester exchange reactions.
    • Esters usually serve as the electrophilic acceptor component of the condensation.
    • There are three ester functions, each of which has at least one alpha-hydrogen.
  • Reactions with Organometallic Reagents

    • Esters are the most common carbonyl reactants, since they are cheaper and less hazardous to use than acyl chlorides and anhydrides.
    • Most esters react with organometallic reagents to give 3º-alcohols; but formate esters (R=H) give 2º-alcohols.
    • The second equation demonstrates the low reactivity of organocadmium reagents, inasmuch as the ester function is unchanged.
    • Esters react with organometallic reagents to give 3º-alcohols; formate esters (R=H) give 2º-alcohols
    • Reaction with acyl chlorides, anhydrides and esters leads to alcohol products
  • Waxes

    • Waxes are esters of fatty acids with long chain monohydric alcohols (one hydroxyl group).
    • Natural waxes are often mixtures of such esters, and may also contain hydrocarbons.
  • Nucleophilicity of Phosphorus Compounds

    • The chemistry of phosphines and the related phosphite esters is dominated by their strong nucleophilicity and reducing character.
    • Phosphite esters react in the same manner, but the resulting phosphonium salts (shaded box) are often unstable, and on heating yield dialkyl phosphonate esters by way of a second SN2 reaction (equation 2 below).
  • Enolate Intermediates

    • Esters and nitriles are even weaker alpha-carbon acids than ketones (by over ten thousand times), nevertheless their enolate anions may be prepared and used in a similar fashion.
    • Malonic acid esters and acetoacetic acid esters are commonly used starting materials, and their usefulness in synthesis will be demonstrated later in this chapter.
  • Related Carbonyl Derivatives

    • Most of the functions are amides or esters, cantharidin being a rare example of a natural anhydride.
    • Cyclic esters are called lactones, and cyclic amides are referred to as lactams.
  • Acyl Group Substitution

    • Reactivity: acyl halides > anhydrides >> esters ≈ acids >> amides
    • The reaction of an acyl chloride with an alcohol also gives an ester, but this conversion cannot be reversed by adding HCl to the reaction mixture.
    • Esters are one of the most common carboxylic derivatives.
    • Finally, anhydrides and esters have intermediate reactivities, with anhydrides being more reactive than esters.
    • Esters are less reactive acylating reagents than anhydrides, and the ester exchange reaction (#6) requires a strong acid or base catalyst.
  • Radical Recombination Reactions

    • A pair of radicals is generated by photohomolysis of the weak N–O bond of a nitrite ester.
    • This eventually leads to a nitrate ester on the newly functionalized carbon.
    • The nitrite ester of an axial oriented 11-hydroxyl group is prepared by reaction with nitrosyl chloride, 2.
    • In the presence of oxygen, the corresponding nitrate ester, 6, is produced.
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