# List of esters

In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an acid (organic or inorganic) in which the hydrogen atom (H) of at least one acidic hydroxyl group (−OH) of that acid is replaced by an organyl group (−R). Analogues derived from oxygen replaced by other chalcogens belong to the ester category as well (i.e. esters of acidic −SH, −SeH, −TeH, −PoH and −LvH groups). According to some authors, organyl derivatives of acidic hydrogen of other acids are esters as well (e.g. amides), but not according to the IUPAC.
An example of an ester formation is the substitution reaction between a carboxylic acid (R−C(=O)−OH) and an alcohol (R'OH), forming an ester (R−C(=O)−O−R'), where R and R′ are organyl groups, or H in the case of esters of formic acid. Glycerides, which are fatty acid esters of glycerol, are important esters in biology, being one of the main classes of lipids, and making up the bulk of animal fats and vegetable oils. Esters of carboxylic acids with low molecular weight are commonly used as fragrances and found in essential oils and pheromones. Phosphoesters form the backbone of DNA molecules. Nitrate esters, such as nitroglycerin, are known for their explosive properties, while polyesters are important plastics, with monomers linked by ester moieties. Esters of carboxylic acids usually have a sweet smell and are considered high-quality solvents for a broad array of plastics, plasticizers, resins, and lacquers. They are also one of the largest classes of synthetic lubricants on the commercial market.

## By number of R' group carbons (R−C(=O)−O−R')
### 1 carbon

* Name
* Methyl nitrate
* Methyl formate
* Methyl acetate
* Methyl acrylate
* Methyl propionate
* Methyl butyrate
* Methyl pentanoate
* Methyl benzoate
* Methyl anthranilate
* Methyl salicylate
* Methyl phenylacetate
* Methyl cinnamate

### 2 carbons

* Name
* Ethyl formate
* Ethyl acetate
* Ethyl propionate
* Ethyl lactate
* Ethyl butyrate
* Ethyl pentanoate
* Ethyl isovalerate
* Ethyl hexanoate
* Ethyl heptanoate
* Ethyl benzoate
* Ethyl salicylate
* Ethyl octanoate
* Ethyl cinnamate
* Ethyl decanoate

### 3 carbons

* Name
* Propyl acetate
* Propyl propanoate
* Propyl hexanoate
* Allyl hexanoate
* Isopropyl acetate
* Isopropyl salicylate
* Isopropyl palmitate

### 4 carbons

* Name
* Butyl formate
* Butyl acetate
* Isobutyl formate
* Isobutyl acetate
* Sec-Butyl formate
* Sec-Butyl acetate
* Tert-Butyl formate
* Tert-Butyl acetate
* Butyl butyrate

### 5 carbons

* Name
* Amyl acetate
* Pentyl butyrate
* Pentyl propanoate
* Pentyl hexanoate
* Sec-Amyl acetate

### 7 carbons

| Name | Structure |
| Benzyl acetate | |

### 8 carbons

| Name | Structure |
| Octyl acetate | |

### 10 carbons

* Name
* Geranyl acetate
* Bornyl acetate
* Linalyl acetate

## By number of R group carbons (R−C(=O)−O−R')
### 0 carbons

| Name | Structure |
| Methyl nitrate | |

### 1 carbon

* Name
* Methyl formate
* Ethyl formate
* Isobutyl formate

### 2 carbons

* Name
* Methyl acetate
* Ethyl acetate
* Propyl acetate
* Butyl acetate
* Amyl acetate
* Benzyl acetate
* Octyl acetate
* Geranyl acetate
* Bornyl acetate
* Linalyl acetate

### 3 carbons

* Name
* Methyl propionate
* Ethyl propionate
* Propyl propanoate
* Pentyl propanoate
* Ethyl lactate

### 4 carbons

* Name
* Methyl butyrate
* Ethyl butyrate
* Butyl butyrate
* Pentyl butyrate

### 5 carbons

* Name
* Methyl pentanoate
* Ethyl pentanoate
* Pentyl pentanoate
* Ethyl isovalerate

### 6 carbons

* Name
* Ethyl hexanoate
* Propyl hexanoate
* Allyl hexanoate
* Pentyl hexanoate

### 7 carbons

* Name
* Ethyl heptanoate
* Methyl benzoate
* Ethyl benzoate
* Methyl anthranilate
* Methyl salicylate
* Ethyl salicylate
* Isopropyl salicylate

### 8 carbons

| Name | Structure |
| Ethyl octanoate | |
| Methyl phenylacetate | |

### 9 carbons

| Name | Structure |
| Methyl cinnamate | |
| Ethyl cinnamate | |

### 10 carbons

| Name | Structure |
| Ethyl decanoate | |

### 16 carbons

| Name | Structure |
| Isopropyl palmitate | |

## List of ester odorants

Many esters of carboxylic acid have distinctive fruit-like odors, and many occur naturally in fruits and the essential oils of plants. This has also led to their common use in artificial flavorings and fragrances which aim to mimic those odors.
| Ester name | Odor or occurrence |
| Allyl hexanoate | pineapple |
| Benzyl acetate | pear, strawberry, jasmine |
| Bornyl acetate | pine |
| Butyl acetate | apple, honey |
| Butyl butyrate | pineapple |
| Butyl propanoate | pear drops |
| Ethyl acetate | nail polish remover, model paint, model airplane glue |
| Ethyl benzoate | sweet, wintergreen, fruity, medicinal, cherry, grape |
| Ethyl butyrate | banana, pineapple, strawberry |
| Ethyl hexanoate | pineapple, waxy-green banana |
| Ethyl cinnamate | cinnamon |
| Ethyl formate | lemon, rum, strawberry |
| Ethyl heptanoate | apricot, cherry, grape, raspberry |
| Ethyl isovalerate | apple |
| Ethyl lactate | butter, cream |
| Ethyl nonanoate | grape |
| Ethyl pentanoate | apple |
| Geranyl acetate | geranium |
| Geranyl butyrate | cherry |
| Geranyl pentanoate | apple |
| Isobutyl acetate | cherry, raspberry, strawberry |
| Isobutyl formate | raspberry |
| Isoamyl acetate | pear, banana (flavoring in Pear drops) |
| Isopropyl acetate | fruity |
| Linalyl acetate | lavender, sage |
| Linalyl butyrate | peach |
| Linalyl formate | apple, peach |
| Methyl acetate | glue |
| Methyl anthranilate | grape, jasmine |
| Methyl benzoate | fruity, ylang ylang, feijoa |
| Methyl butyrate (methyl butanoate) | pineapple, apple, strawberry |
| Methyl cinnamate | strawberry |
| Methyl pentanoate (methyl valerate) | flowery |
| Methyl phenylacetate | honey |
| Methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen) | Modern root beer, wintergreen, Germolene and Ralgex ointments (UK) |
| Nonyl caprylate | orange |
| Octyl acetate | fruity-orange |
| Octyl butyrate | parsnip |
| Amyl acetate (pentyl acetate) | apple, banana |
| Pentyl butyrate (amyl butyrate) | apricot, pear, pineapple |
| Pentyl hexanoate (amyl caproate) | apple, pineapple |
| Pentyl pentanoate (amyl valerate) | apple |
| Propyl acetate | pear |
| Propyl hexanoate | blackberry, pineapple, cheese, wine |
| Propyl isobutyrate | rum |
| Terpenyl butyrate | cherry |

## Lactones

Lactones are a specific class cyclic carboxylic esters that are formed through intramolecular esterification.
* Lactone name
* β-propiolactone
* γ-butyrolactone (GBL)
* D-glucono-δ-lactone (E575)
* ε-caprolactone