Why is saponification considered the reverse of esterification

This synthesis process is called esterification. The opposite of the esterification is called saponification. The main difference between esterification and saponification is that esterification is the production of an ester from a carboxylic acid and an alcohol whereas saponification is the cleavage of an ester back into the carboxylic acid and alcohol.

What is Esterification — Definition, Mechanism 2. What is Saponification — Definition, Mechanism 3. Esterification is the synthesis of an ester from a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. A catalyst should be used for the completion of this reaction in order to reduce the activation energy of the reaction. The catalyst should be an acid catalyst.

Moreover, heat should be provided as a source of energy since energy is needed to cleave the C-OH bond of the carboxylic acid and remove the —OH group from it. The reaction occurs through the removal of —OH group of the carboxylic acid and the proton of the —OH group of the alcohol. Then, the carboxylic cation and the alcoholic nucleophile react with each other, forming the ester. Water molecules are a byproduct of this reaction. This is because the proton removed from the alcohol will react with the —OH group removed from the carboxylic acid, forming a water molecule.

Pure ester can be obtained by adding a dehydrating agent. Figure Esterification Process. The esterification reaction is an equilibrium.

Therefore, in order to obtain a high yield of ester, we can add an excess of alcohol; if not, we can use a dehydrating agent that can remove the water produced in this reaction. Water can also be removed by some other method such as distillation.

Saponification is the cleavage of an ester into carboxylic acid and alcohol. A reaction reaches equilibrium when the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction.

When the rate of the forward reaction is the same rate of the reverse reaction. When an equation is balanced, the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction. At equilibrium, the RATE of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the reverse reaction. Reversible Reaction. A catalyst increases the reverse rate of the reaction.

With the position of equilibrium of this reaction, it is almost unable to carry out the backward reaction. Log in. Organic Chemistry. Study now. See Answer. Best Answer. Study guides. Chemistry 21 cards. How do they give alcohol test. Why is eggwhite used as an antidote of lead and mercury poisoning.

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The acid in the ester is pulled out as a salt soap along with the alcohol. First Name. Your Response. Which of the following statements is true about reaction rates? Reaction rates can be predicted from the coefficients of the balanced equation. Reactants usually disappear faster than the products appear. The standard free energy of activation of a reaction A is Reaction B is one million times faster than reaction A at the same temperature.

The products of each reaction are Which statement describes a chemical reaction at equilibrium? The forward reaction happens slightly faster than the reverse reaction.