Ever wondered how alcohol burns or why wine turns into...
Chemistry74 views·Updated 18 Sept 2026·2 pagesOrganic Chemistry Basics: Alcohols, Acids, and Esters
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Oxidation of Ethanol and Carboxylic Acids
Ethanol can be oxidised in three main ways, each producing different results. Complete combustion happens when ethanol burns in air, producing carbon dioxide and water with a faint blue flame - this is what occurs in alcohol burners.
Microbial oxidation is far more interesting for everyday life. When wine or beer is left open for several days, bacteria use oxygen to convert the ethanol into ethanoic acid, giving that sharp vinegary taste. This same process is how vinegar is actually made commercially.
The third method involves heating ethanol with potassium dichromate in dilute sulfuric acid. This redox reaction also produces ethanoic acid and is the chemical basis for breathalyser tests - the colour change from orange dichromate to green chromium ions shows how much alcohol is present.
Carboxylic acids all contain the COOH functional group. The most common ones you'll encounter are methanoic acid (HCOOH) and ethanoic acid (CH₃COOH). These are weak acids because the hydrogen in the COOH group doesn't come off as easily as in strong acids like sulfuric acid. They still react with metals and carbonates though, just less vigorously, forming carboxylate salts (like ethanoate from ethanoic acid).
Quick Tip: Remember that carboxylic acids are weak acids - they react like other acids but much more gently!
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Esters and Esterification
Esters contain the COO functional group and are responsible for most artificial food flavourings and perfumes you encounter daily. That banana flavouring in sweets? That's an ester doing its job.
Esterification is the reaction that creates esters: carboxylic acid + alcohol → ester + water. This is a reversible reaction and also a condensation reaction because water is produced as a small molecule is eliminated.
For example, when ethanoic acid reacts with ethanol, you get ethyl ethanoate plus water. The water forms when the OH from the acid combines with the H from the alcohol - it's like molecular Lego coming together.
Naming esters follows a simple pattern: take the alcohol name (change -ol to -yl) then add the carboxylate name (change -ic acid to -oate). So methanol becomes methyl, ethanol becomes ethyl, and ethanoic acid becomes ethanoate. Put them together and ethanol + ethanoic acid gives you ethyl ethanoate.
Memory Hook: Think "alcohol-yl car-oate" - the alcohol part comes first with -yl, then the acid part with -oate!
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Chemistry74 views·Updated 18 Sept 2026·2 pagesOrganic Chemistry Basics: Alcohols, Acids, and Esters
Aliki 🩵@study_wabbit
Ever wondered how alcohol burns or why wine turns into vinegar when left open? This topic explores the fascinating world of ethanol oxidation and introduces you to carboxylic acids and esters - compounds that are everywhere from your kitchen vinegar...
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of 2
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Oxidation of Ethanol and Carboxylic Acids
Ethanol can be oxidised in three main ways, each producing different results. Complete combustion happens when ethanol burns in air, producing carbon dioxide and water with a faint blue flame - this is what occurs in alcohol burners.
Microbial oxidation is far more interesting for everyday life. When wine or beer is left open for several days, bacteria use oxygen to convert the ethanol into ethanoic acid, giving that sharp vinegary taste. This same process is how vinegar is actually made commercially.
The third method involves heating ethanol with potassium dichromate in dilute sulfuric acid. This redox reaction also produces ethanoic acid and is the chemical basis for breathalyser tests - the colour change from orange dichromate to green chromium ions shows how much alcohol is present.
Carboxylic acids all contain the COOH functional group. The most common ones you'll encounter are methanoic acid (HCOOH) and ethanoic acid (CH₃COOH). These are weak acids because the hydrogen in the COOH group doesn't come off as easily as in strong acids like sulfuric acid. They still react with metals and carbonates though, just less vigorously, forming carboxylate salts (like ethanoate from ethanoic acid).
Quick Tip: Remember that carboxylic acids are weak acids - they react like other acids but much more gently!
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Esters and Esterification
Esters contain the COO functional group and are responsible for most artificial food flavourings and perfumes you encounter daily. That banana flavouring in sweets? That's an ester doing its job.
Esterification is the reaction that creates esters: carboxylic acid + alcohol → ester + water. This is a reversible reaction and also a condensation reaction because water is produced as a small molecule is eliminated.
For example, when ethanoic acid reacts with ethanol, you get ethyl ethanoate plus water. The water forms when the OH from the acid combines with the H from the alcohol - it's like molecular Lego coming together.
Naming esters follows a simple pattern: take the alcohol name (change -ol to -yl) then add the carboxylate name (change -ic acid to -oate). So methanol becomes methyl, ethanol becomes ethyl, and ethanoic acid becomes ethanoate. Put them together and ethanol + ethanoic acid gives you ethyl ethanoate.
Memory Hook: Think "alcohol-yl car-oate" - the alcohol part comes first with -yl, then the acid part with -oate!
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