Ester

The word ester was coined in 1848 by a German chemist Leopold Gmelin,[4] probably as a contraction of the German Essigäther, "acetic ether".

The names of esters are derived from the parent alcohol and the parent acid, where the latter may be organic or inorganic. Esters derived from the simplest carboxylic acids are commonly named according to the more traditional, so-called "trivial names" e.g. as formate, acetate, propionate, and butyrate, as opposed to the IUPAC nomenclature methanoate, ethanoate, propanoate, and butanoate. Esters derived from more complex carboxylic acids are, on the other hand, more frequently named using the systematic IUPAC name, based on the name for the acid followed by the suffix -oate. For example, the ester hexyl octanoate, also known under the trivial name hexyl caprylate, has the formula CH₃(CH₂)₆CO₂(CH₂)₅CH₃.

Ethyl acetate derived from an alcohol (blue) and an acyl group (yellow) derived from a carboxylic acid.

The chemical formulas of organic esters usually take the form RCO₂R’, where R and R′ are the hydrocarbon parts of the carboxylic acid and the alcohol, respectively. For example, butyl acetate (systematically butyl ethanoate), derived from butanol and acetic acid (systematically ethanoic acid) would be written CH₃CO₂C₄H₉. Alternative presentations are common including BuOAc and CH₃COOC₄H₉.

Cyclic esters are called lactones, regardless of whether they are derived from an organic or inorganic acid. One example of an organic lactone is γ-valerolactone.

An uncommon class of organic esters are the orthoesters, which have the formula RC(OR′)₃. Triethylorthoformate (HC(OC₂H₅)₃) is derived, in terms of its name (but not its synthesis) from orthoformic acid (HC(OH)₃) and ethanol.

A phosphoric acid ester

Esters can also be derived from inorganic acids.

• Phosphoric acid forms phosphate esters, e.g. triphenylphosphate
• sulfuric acid forms sulfate esters, e.g., dimethylsulfate
• nitric acid forms nitrate esters, e.g. methyl nitrate
• boric acid forms borates, e.g. trimethylborate.
• carbonic acid forms carbonate esters, e.g. ethylene carbonate

Inorganic acids that exist as tautomers form diverse esters

• phosphorous acid forms two kinds of phosphite esters, e.g. triethylphosphite (P(OEt)₃) and diethylphosphite (HP(O)(OEt)₂).

Inorganic acids that are unstable or elusive form stable esters.

• chromic acid, which has never been detected, forms di-tert-butyl chromate
• sulfurous acid, which is rare, forms dimethylsulfite

In principle, all metal and metalloid alkoxides, of which many hundreds are known, could be classified as esters of the hypothetical acids.

Esters are generally identified by gas chromatography, taking advantage of their volatility. IR spectra for esters feature an intense sharp band in the range 1730–1750 cm⁻¹ assigned to ν_C=O. This peak changes depending on the functional groups attached to the carbonyl. For example, a benzene ring or double bond in conjugation with the carbonyl will bring the wavenumber down about 30 cm⁻¹.

The classic synthesis is the Fischer esterification, which involves treating a carboxylic acid with an alcohol in the presence of a dehydrating agent:

${\displaystyle {\ce {RCO2H + R'OH <=> RCO2R' + H2O}}}$

The equilibrium constant for such reactions is about 5 for typical esters, e.g., ethyl acetate.[13] The reaction is slow in the absence of a catalyst. Sulfuric acid is a typical catalyst for this reaction. Many other acids are also used such as polymeric sulfonic acids. Since esterification is highly reversible, the yield of the ester can be improved using Le Chatelier's principle:

• Using the alcohol in large excess (i.e., as a solvent).
• Using a dehydrating agent: sulfuric acid not only catalyzes the reaction but sequesters water (a reaction product). Other drying agents such as molecular sieves are also effective.
• Removal of water by physical means such as distillation as a low-boiling azeotropes with toluene, in conjunction with a Dean-Stark apparatus.

Reagents are known that drive the dehydration of mixtures of alcohols and carboxylic acids. One example is the Steglich esterification, which is a method of forming esters under mild conditions. The method is popular in peptide synthesis, where the substrates are sensitive to harsh conditions like high heat. DCC (dicyclohexylcarbodiimide) is used to activate the carboxylic acid to further reaction. 4-Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) is used as an acyl-transfer catalyst.[14]

Another method for the dehydration of mixtures of alcohols and carboxylic acids is the Mitsunobu reaction:

${\displaystyle {\ce {RCO2H + R'OH + P(C6H5)3 + R2N2 -> RCO2R' + OP(C6H5)3 + R2N2H2}}}$

Carboxylic acids can be esterified using diazomethane:

${\displaystyle {\ce {RCO2H + CH2N2 -> RCO2CH3 + N2}}}$

Using this diazomethane, mixtures of carboxylic acids can be converted to their methyl esters in near quantitative yields, e.g., for analysis by gas chromatography. The method is useful in specialized organic synthetic operations but is considered too hazardous and expensive for large-scale applications.

Carboxylic acids are esterified by treatment with epoxides, giving β-hydroxyesters:

${\displaystyle {\ce {RCO2H + RCHCH2O -> RCO2CH2CH(OH)R}}}$

This reaction is employed in the production of vinyl ester resin resins from acrylic acid.

Alcohols react with acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides to give esters:

${\displaystyle {\ce {RCOCl + R'OH -> RCO2R' + HCl}}}$

${\displaystyle {\ce {(RCO)2O + R'OH -> RCO2R' + RCO2H}}}$

The reactions are irreversible simplifying work-up. Since acyl chlorides and acid anhydrides also react with water, anhydrous conditions are preferred. The analogous acylations of amines to give amides are less sensitive because amines are stronger nucleophiles and react more rapidly than does water. This method is employed only for laboratory-scale procedures, as it is expensive.

Although not widely employed for esterifications, salts of carboxylate anions can be alkylating agent with alkyl halides to give esters.[12] In the case that an alkyl chloride is used, an iodide salt can catalyze the reaction (Finkelstein reaction). The carboxylate salt is often generated in situ.[15] In difficult cases, the silver carboxylate may be used, since the silver ion coordinates to the halide aiding its departure and improving the reaction rate. This reaction can suffer from anion availability problems and, therefore, can benefit from the addition of phase transfer catalysts or highly polar aprotic solvents such as DMF.

Transesterification, which involves changing one ester into another one, is widely practiced:

${\displaystyle {\ce {RCO2R' + CH3OH -> RCO2CH3 + R'OH}}}$

Like the hydrolysation, transesterification is catalysed by acids and bases. The reaction is widely used for degrading triglycerides, e.g. in the production of fatty acid esters and alcohols. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) is produced by the transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol:[12]

${\displaystyle {\ce {(C6H4)(CO2CH3)2{}+2C2H4(OH)2->{\frac {1}{\mathit {n}}}[(C6H4)(CO2)2(C2H4)]_{\mathit {n}}{}+2CH3OH}}}$

A subset of transesterification is the alcoholysis of diketene. This reaction affords 2-ketoesters.[12]

${\displaystyle {\ce {(CH2CO)2 + ROH -> CH3C(O)CH2CO2R}}}$

Alkenes undergo "hydroesterification" in the presence of metal carbonyl catalysts. Esters of propanoic acid are produced commercially by this method:

${\displaystyle {\ce {C2H4 + ROH + CO -> C2H5CO2R}}}$

A preparaton of methyl propionate is one illustrative example.

${\displaystyle {\ce {C2H4 + CO + MeOH -> MeO2CCH2CH3}}}$

The carbonylation of methanol yields methyl formate, which is the main commercial source of formic acid. The reaction is catalyzed by sodium methoxide:

${\displaystyle {\ce {CH3OH + CO -> CH3O2CH}}}$

In hydroesterification, alkenes and alkynes insert into the H-O bond of carboxylic acids. Vinyl acetate is produced industrially by the addition of acetic acid to acetylene in the presence of zinc acetate catalysts:[16] Presently, zinc acetate is used as the catalyst:

${\displaystyle {\ce {CH3CO2H + C2H2 -> CH3CO2CHCH2}}}$

Vinyl acetate can also be produced by palladium-catalyzed reaction of ethylene, acetic acid, and oxygen:

${\displaystyle {\ce {C2H4 + CH3CO2H + 1/2 O2 -> C2H3O2CCH3 + H2O}}}$

Silicotungstic acid is used to manufacture ethyl acetate by the alkylation of acetic acid by ethylene:

${\displaystyle {\ce {C2H4 + CH3CO2H -> CH3CO2C2H5}}}$

The Tishchenko reaction involve disproportionation of an aldehyde in the presence of an anhydrous base to give an ester. Catalysts are aluminium alkoxides or sodium alkoxides. Benzaldehyde reacts with sodium benzyloxide (generated from sodium and benzyl alcohol) to generate benzyl benzoate.[17] The method is used in the production of ethyl acetate from acetaldehyde.[12]

• Favorskii rearrangement of α-haloketones in presence of base
• Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones with peroxides
• Pinner reaction of nitriles with an alcohol
• Nucleophilic abstraction of a metal–acyl complex
• Hydrolysis of orthoesters in aqueous acid
• Cellulolysis via esterification[18]
• Ozonolysis of alkenes using a work up in the presence of hydrochloric acid and various alcohols.[19]
• Anodic oxidation of methyl ketones leading to methyl esters.[20]
• Interesterification exchanges the fatty acid groups of different esters.

Esterification is a reversible reaction. Esters undergo hydrolysis under acidic and basic conditions. Under acidic conditions, the reaction is the reverse reaction of the Fischer esterification. Under basic conditions, hydroxide acts as a nucleophile, while an alkoxide is the leaving group. This reaction, saponification, is the basis of soap making.

The alkoxide group may also be displaced by stronger nucleophiles such as ammonia or primary or secondary amines to give amides: (ammonolysis reaction)

${\displaystyle {\ce {RCO2R' + NH2R'' -> RCONHR'' + R'OH}}}$

This reaction is not usually reversible. Hydrazines and hydroxylamine can be used in place of amines. Esters can be converted to isocyanates through intermediate hydroxamic acids in the Lossen rearrangement.

Sources of carbon nucleophiles, e.g., Grignard reagents and organolithium compounds, add readily to the carbonyl.

Compared to ketones and aldehydes, esters are relatively resistant to reduction. The introduction of catalytic hydrogenation in the early part of the 20th century was a breakthrough; esters of fatty acids are hydrogenated to fatty alcohols.

${\displaystyle {\ce {RCO2R' + 2 H2 -> RCH2OH + R'OH}}}$

A typical catalyst is copper chromite. Prior to the development of catalytic hydrogenation, esters were reduced on a large scale using the Bouveault–Blanc reduction. This method, which is largely obsolete, uses sodium in the presence of proton sources.

Especially for fine chemical syntheses, lithium aluminium hydride is used to reduce esters to two primary alcohols. The related reagent sodium borohydride is slow in this reaction. DIBAH reduces esters to aldehydes.[21]

Direct reduction to give the corresponding ether is difficult as the intermediate hemiacetal tends to decompose to give an alcohol and an aldehyde (which is rapidly reduced to give a second alcohol). The reaction can be achieved using triethylsilane with a variety of Lewis acids.[22][23]

As for aldehydes, the hydrogen atoms on the carbon adjacent ("α to") the carboxyl group in esters are sufficiently acidic to undergo deprotonation, which in turn leads to a variety of useful reactions. Deprotonation requires relatively strong bases, such as alkoxides. Deprotonation gives a nucleophilic enolate, which can further react, e.g., the Claisen condensation and its intramolecular equivalent, the Dieckmann condensation. This conversion is exploited in the malonic ester synthesis, wherein the diester of malonic acid reacts with an electrophile (e.g., alkyl halide), and is subsequently decarboxylated. Another variation is the Fráter–Seebach alkylation.

• Phenyl esters react to hydroxyarylketones in the Fries rearrangement.
• Specific esters are functionalized with an α-hydroxyl group in the Chan rearrangement.
• Esters with β-hydrogen atoms can be converted to alkenes in ester pyrolysis.
• A direct conversion of esters to nitriles.[24]

As a class, esters serve as protecting groups for carboxylic acids. Protecting a carboxylic acid is useful in peptide synthesis, to prevent self-reactions of the bifunctional amino acids. Methyl and ethyl esters are commonly available for many amino acids; the t-butyl ester tends to be more expensive. However, t-butyl esters are particularly useful because, under strongly acidic conditions, the t-butyl esters undergo elimination to give the carboxylic acid and isobutylene, simplifying work-up.