In the Fischer esterification reaction between ethanol and acetic acid using concentrated , isotopic labeling experiments show that the oxygen atom in the water byproduct comes from:

Question

In the Fischer esterification reaction between ethanol and acetic acid using concentrated $H_2SO_4$, isotopic labeling experiments show that the oxygen atom in the water byproduct comes from:

Prashant Kotian · Accepted Answer

Correct answer: B. Mechanistic studies and isotopic labeling confirm that during esterification, the carboxylic acid loses its group while the alcohol loses only its acidic proton () to form the water molecule.

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