Question

Complete the following reactions

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathbf{\text{a.CH}}}_{\mathbf{\text{3}}}{\mathbf{\text{CO}}}_{\mathbf{\text{2}}}{\mathbf{\text{H + CH}}}_{\mathbf{\text{3}}}\mathbf{\text{OH}}\mathbf{\to } \\ {\mathbf{\text{b.CH}}}_{\mathbf{\text{3}}}{\mathbf{\text{CH}}}_{\mathbf{\text{2}}}{\mathbf{\text{CH}}}_{\mathbf{\text{2}}}\mathbf{\text{OH + HCOOH}}\mathbf{\to } \end{gathered}$$

Short answer

a. Ethyl acetate is formed.

b. Propyl formate is formed.

Step-by-step solution

To complete the solution

The reaction of alcohol and carboxylic acid under acidic conditions is called Fischer esterification.

Fischer esterification is a reaction in which an ester is formed.

a. We have a reaction of acetic acid and ethanol in which ethyl acetate is formed.

b. We have a reaction of formic acid and propanol in which the propyl formate is formed.

Hence a. Ethyl acetate is formed.

b. Propyl formate is formed.