[rragas]

k...

1) What is the role of the H2SO4 in reactions of esterification?... i have no idea how to approach this... i know that H2SO4 --> (esterifyied?) is sulfate.. but i dunno if that has anything to do with it

2) How is he -OH radical of an alcohol different from that of an inorganic compound (a base)?
Same deal here... (ok.. my teacher explained this, but im lost because i was absent when he did.. :I)

Thanks

[Garneck]

k...

1) What is the role of the H2SO4 in reactions of esterification?... i have no idea how to approach this... i know that H2SO4 --> (esterifyied?) is sulfate.. but i dunno if that has anything to do with it

2) How is he -OH radical of an alcohol different from that of an inorganic compound (a base)?
Same deal here... (ok.. my teacher explained this, but im lost because i was absent when he did.. :I)

Thanks

1. Sulfuric acid catalyses the esterification reaction between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid.

2. An inorganic base M-O-H dissociates to M⁺ cation and a OH- hydroxyl anion. Alcohols R-O-H dissociate to an alcoxide (my english spelling or naming could be bad) R-O^- and H⁺. Alcohols are veeeeeeeeery weak acids.

[Donaldson Tan]

Alcohols R-O-H dissociate to an alcoxide (my english spelling or naming could be bad) R-O^- and H⁺. Alcohols are veeeeeeeeery weak acids.

it's spelled alkoxide

[Garneck]

thanks geodome