ester

(noun)

Compound most often formed by the condensation of an alcohol and an acid, by removing water. It contains the functional group carbon-oxygen double bond joined via carbon to another oxygen atom.

Related Terms

Examples of ester in the following topics:

  • Waxes

    • Natural waxes are typically esters of fatty acids and long chain alcohols.
    • Animal wax esters are typically derived from a variety of carboxylic acids and fatty alcohols.
    • A major component of beeswax is the ester myricyl palmitate , which bees use for constructing honeycombs.
    • One of its main constituents is cetyl palmitate, an ester of a fatty acid and fatty alcohol.
    • Unlike most natural waxes, which are esters, synthetic waxes consist of long-chain hydrocarbons lacking functional groups.

  • Food Energy and ATP

    • ATP stores energy in phosphate ester bonds, releasing energy when the phosphodiester bonds are broken: ATP is converted to ADP and a phosphate group.

  • Lipid Molecules

    • In a fat molecule, the fatty acids are attached to each of the three carbons of the glycerol molecule with an ester bond through the oxygen atom.
    • During the ester bond formation, three molecules are released.

  • Basic Structures of Prokaryotic Cells

    • Second, an ether bond instead of an ester bond connects the lipid to the glycerol.