Salts of Carboxylic Acids. The ionic nature of the salts makes them water soluble. Carboxylic acids, acid chlorides, and acid anhydrides react with alcohols to produce esters. Polyesters result from the reaction of dicarboxylic acids and diols. Nomenclature of Esters.
Many esters are very fragrant.
Esters are widely used as flavoring agents. Ethyl formate Rum Isopentyl acetate Banana Octyl acetate Orange Ethyl butyrate Pineapple Methyl butyrate Apple Isobutyl formate Raspberry Methyl salicylate Wintergreen Reactions of Esters. Esters can be converted back to carboxylic acids and alcohols under either acidic or basic conditions. Hydrolysis , the reaction with water in the presence of acid, produces the carboxylic acid and alcohol. Saponification occurs in the presence of a base to produce the carboxylate salt and alcohol.