1. City and Islington College
Making Esters
David Martin
City and Islington College
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Students Name: …………………………………………………………………..

2. Topic Aims Method Equipment Duration >30 minutes Making Esters
This is a practical exercise in making 5 esters and then trying to identify the smell each ester has.
Level
Level 3
Method
Can be either given as a hand-out to students for the practical exercise, or can go through a PowerPoint slide and engage the whole class. Answers on Slide 6
Equipment
Laptop & Projector
Hand-out
Pens
SLIDE 3 gives you the list of Chemicals and Equipment you will need for this exercise
Duration
>30 minutes
Hidden

3. Making Esters Equipment and Chemicals you will need: Chemicals
Octanoic Acid
Salicylic Acid
Benzoic Acid
Glacial Ethanoic Acid
Propanoic Acid
Concentrated Sulphuric Acid
Sodium Carbonate Solution
Methanol
Ethanol
Oentan-1-ol
Butan-2-ol
Equipment per group
5 x test tubes
5 x boiling tubes
Test tube racks x 2
Water bath set at 600C
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4. Making Esters
Esters smell. In this practical we are going to test that theory by making esters and trying to recognise their smells.
Procedure
Take five dry test tubes in a test tube rack – label them 1 to 5.
Add 2cm3 of each of the acids listed in the table below to each of the test tubes.
Take care the acids are corrosive.
Some of the acids are solid – use a spatula full instead.
Add 10 drops of concentrated sulphuric acid to each tube.
Be very careful with this extremely corrosive acid.
Gently shake the test tube to mix.
Then add 2cm3 of each alcohol listed in the table to your numbered tubes.
To Print 1 2 3 4 5
Acid
Octanoic
Salicylic
Benzoic
Glacial Ethanoic
Propanoic
Alcohol
Methanol
Ethanol
Pentan-1-ol
Butan-2-ol

5. Making Esters
Place your test tubes in a warm bath at around Shake the test tube periodically and keep in the water bath for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile – take 5 boiling tubes (labelled 1-5) and half fill them with sodium carbonate solution.
After 15 minutes slowly pour the ester mixtures into the sodium carbonate solution of the matching number.
Results
Match the smells of the esters as closely as you can to the following smells.
Test Tube Number A
Oil of Wintergreen of Germolene B
Rum C
Pear Drops D
Pineapple/Coconut E
Peppermint
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6. ANSWERS
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7. Making Esters Answers D E
Place your test tubes in a warm bath at around Shake the test tube periodically and keep in the water bath for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile – take 5 boiling tubes (labelled 1-5) and half fill them with sodium carbonate solution.
After 15 minutes slowly pour the ester mixtures into the sodium carbonate solution of the matching number.
Results
Match the smells of the esters as closely as you can to the following smells.
Test Tube Number A
Oil of Wintergreen of Germolene D B
Rum C
Pear Drops E
Pineapple/Coconut
Peppermint
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