Draw the mechanism for the reaction of an acid chloride with an alcohol to form an ester

First thing to remember is that when drawing curly arrows, the arrows start where the electrons start and finish where the electrons end up. For this reaction the lone pair of electrons on the oxygen from the alcohol attacks the carbon of the carbonyl group and an electron pair from the C=O bond gets pushed up onto the oxygen. This format an intermediate. The alcohol group is now positive so looses an H+, the chlorine is kicked out becoming Cl_ and the double bond (C=O) reforms. (mechanism would be drawn on whiteboard)

HR
Answered by Hannah R. Chemistry tutor

2845 Views

See similar Chemistry A Level tutors

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

How can you convert benzene to N-phenylethanamide in 3 steps?


Describe the mechanism for bromination across a double bond


A buffer solution was formed by mixing 20.0 cm^3 of sodium hydroxide solution of concentration 0.100 mol dm^–3 with 25.0 cm^3 of ethanoic acid of concentration 0.150 mol dm^–3. CH3COOH + NaOH---CH3COONa + H2O Calculate the pH of this buffer solution.


Describe the bonding in, and the structure of, sodium chloride and ice. Explain why they have very different melting points.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning