The reaction, H orOH RCOOR R OH excess RCOOR R OH -> is called — Aldehydes Ketones and Carboxylic Acids Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

I need to analyze this organic chemistry reaction mechanism. **Reaction Analysis:** The reaction shows: $$RCOOR' + R''OH \xrightarrow{\text{H}^+ \text{ or } OH^-} RCOOR'' + R'OH$$ (An ester reacting with an alcohol to form a different ester and release an alcohol) **Step-by-step reasoning:** 1. **Identify the reaction type**: An ester ($RCOOR'$) is being converted to another ester ($RCOOR''$) by reaction with a different alcohol ($R''OH$). 2. **Key feature - Excess alcohol**: The problem states "excess" alcohol, which drives the equilibrium forward. 3. **Breaking and forming bonds**: The alcohol $OH$ group from the new alcohol ($R''OH$) replaces the original alcohol group ($R'OH$) on the ester's acyl carbon. The $O-R'$ bond breaks and an $O-R''$ bond forms. 4. **Mechanism under acidic/basic conditions**: - **Acidic ($H^+$)**: Carbonyl O gets protonated → nucleophilic attack by $R''OH$ → tetrahedral intermediate → loss of $R'OH$ → reformation of $C=O$ - **Basic ($OH^-$)**: Direct nucleophilic attack → similar pathway 5. **Name of reaction**: This is **transesterification** (also called **ester interchange** or **alcoholysis**) — exchanging the alkoxy group of an ester with a different alcohol group. **Answer: B is Transesterification** This is the standard name for ester-alcohol exchange reactions, whether proceeding via acidic or basic catalysis.