#36 - Esters

Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry - The Companion Audio Guide

Learn about esters, formed when an alcohol reacts with a carboxylic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst like sulfuric acid. Esters are volatile, have fruity smells, and are used in perfumes and flavorings. For example, ethyl ethanoate, made from ethanol and ethanoic acid, smells faintly of pineapples.