Need help With ester's

mckay1512 · Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2007 1:58 am Post subject: Need help With ester's

I am creating esters but i am unaware of the quantitys that i need to use for the carbolic acid and the alcohol to create the following smells
i will be using test tubes so it wont need to be large quantaties but the ratio figure would be good.
Octyl Acetate-orange
or
propyl ethanoate-pear

If you are aware of any good websites that could assist me that would be great to!!!!
Thanks in Advance

hwguy · Regular Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 22

The best method would be to calculate the molar masses of the two reagents and add equivalents to the test tubes... about 0.01 mol of each will possibly be about right, and a few drops of Conc acid, you dont need to be exact as it is only a catalyst.

kristoph · Junior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 8

I have worked very briefly with esters and was wondering. Do they have really strong smells that change when you mix with different quantities of your reagents?

RobJim · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:13 am Post subject:

Esters do tend to have strong, pleasant, fruity smells. I suppose if you react them with something the smell will change.

Taya · Probably a bot. Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 1

Here is what i would do. I did an identical prac like 3 weeks ago...

10 drops alcohol
10 drops carboxillic acid. spelt wrong.
4ish drops conc sulfuric acid.

Heat everything for 3-5 minutes in a test tube over a bunsen

dunk mixture from test tube into cool water.

smell that ester!

And: yes concentrations will impact the smell. if there's too 'much' then the ester will not really smell what it is supposed to smell like... the components of the smell are to far apart if that makes any sense...

i worked with 'banana' a couple of weeks ago, and one sample was much pinker than the others - and almost blew my head off... it smelt ghastly while the others smelt of those lovely lollies...