Which of the following carboxylic acids is most reactive towards esterification?

Question

Which of the following carboxylic acids is most reactive towards esterification? (A) (CH3)3 CCOOH (B) (CH3)2CHCOOH (C) CH3CH2COOH (D) (C2H5)2CHCOOH

Tardigrade Admin · Accepted Answer

CH 3 CH 2 COOH is most reactive towards esterification. The esterification of carboxylic acids with alcohols is a kind of nucleophilic acyl substitution. Protonation of the carbonyl oxygen activates the carbonyl group towards nucleophilic addition of alcohol. Therefore, carboxylic acid with less number of electron releasing group most reactive.

Q. Which of the following carboxylic acids is most reactive towards esterification?

$(C H_{3})_{3} CCOO H$

$(C H_{3})_{2} C H COO H$

$C H_{3} C H_{2} COO H$

$(C_{2} H_{5})_{2} C H COO H$

Q. Which of the following carboxylic acids is most reactive towards esterification?

(CH3​)3​CCOOH

(CH3​)2​CHCOOH

CH3​CH2​COOH

(C2​H5​)2​CHCOOH

$(C H_{3})_{3} CCOO H$

$(C H_{3})_{2} C H COO H$

$C H_{3} C H_{2} COO H$

$(C_{2} H_{5})_{2} C H COO H$