See image — Alcohols Phenols and Ethers Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Concept: Trans-esterification is the reaction in which one ester reacts with an alcohol to form a new ester and release a different alcohol, with the acyl group being transferred from one oxygen to another. Reasoning: In the given reaction, the ester R-C(=O)-O-R' reacts with an alcohol R''OH in the presence of an acid catalyst (H+) to produce a new ester R-C(=O)-O-R'' and release the original alcohol R'OH. The acyl group (R-C=O) is transferred from R' to R'', which is precisely the definition of trans-esterification. Why other options fail: (a) Esterification involves reaction of a carboxylic acid with an alcohol to form an ester and water; here no carboxylic acid is the starting material. (b) Saponification is the base-catalyzed hydrolysis of an ester to give a carboxylate salt and alcohol; no base is involved here and no salt is formed. (d) Hydrolysis of an ester involves reaction with water (H2O) to break the ester bond into a carboxylic acid and alcohol; here R''OH (not water) is the nucleophile and no carboxylic acid is produced. Therefore, the correct answer is C.