Draw the complete mechanism for the Fischer esterification reaction performed. In this experiment, acetic acid (a carboxylic acid with the structure CH₃COOH) was reacted with 1-butanol (a primary alcohol with the structure CH₃(CH₂)₃OH) in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) as a catalyst. The goal of this reaction was to synthesize butyl acetate (an ester with the structure CH₃COO(CH₂)₃CH₃) as the final product, with water (H₂O) as the by-product. In the mechanism: Show how sulfuric acid protonates the carbonyl oxygen of acetic acid to activate it for nucleophilic attack. Illustrate the nucleophilic attack by 1-butanol on the protonated acetic acid. Include all intermediate structures, such as the tetrahedral intermediate formed after the nucleophilic attack. Show the steps leading to the formation of butyl acetate, including the removal of water as a leaving group and the regeneration of the sulfuric acid catalyst. Use curved arrows to indicate the flow of electrons at each step and label all key intermediates and transitions clearly.

Organic Chemistry
8th Edition
ISBN:9781305580350
Author:William H. Brown, Brent L. Iverson, Eric Anslyn, Christopher S. Foote
Publisher:William H. Brown, Brent L. Iverson, Eric Anslyn, Christopher S. Foote
Chapter15: An Introduction To Organometallic Compounds
Section15.1: Organomagnesium And Organolithium Compounds
Problem 15.2P: Recalling the reactions of alcohols from Chapter 10, show how to synthesize each compound from an...
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Draw the complete mechanism for the Fischer esterification reaction performed. In this experiment, acetic acid (a carboxylic acid with the structure CH₃COOH) was reacted with 1-butanol (a primary alcohol with the structure CH₃(CH₂)₃OH) in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) as a catalyst. The goal of this reaction was to synthesize butyl acetate (an ester with the structure CH₃COO(CH₂)₃CH₃) as the final product, with water (H₂O) as the by-product.

In the mechanism:

  1. Show how sulfuric acid protonates the carbonyl oxygen of acetic acid to activate it for nucleophilic attack.
  2. Illustrate the nucleophilic attack by 1-butanol on the protonated acetic acid.
  3. Include all intermediate structures, such as the tetrahedral intermediate formed after the nucleophilic attack.
  4. Show the steps leading to the formation of butyl acetate, including the removal of water as a leaving group and the regeneration of the sulfuric acid catalyst.
  5. Use curved arrows to indicate the flow of electrons at each step and label all key intermediates and transitions clearly.
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