Indicate which side,if any,would be favored in the reaction shown below.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The reaction shown is an acid-catalyzed esterification reaction. In this type of reaction, the equilibrium is generally favored to the side with the less substituted alcohol and the more substituted carboxylic acid. In this case, the less substituted alcohol is methanol (CH3OH) and the more substituted acid is acetic acid (CH3COOH). Therefore, the equilibrium is favored to the right, meaning that the formation of the ester product (methyl acetate) is favored.

Indicate Which Side,if Any,would Be Favored in the Reaction Shown