Experiment 8A Ethyl Laurate

In the preparation given for ethyl laurate (Experiment [8A]), acetyl chloride is used to generate the HCl catalyst in situ. Notice that the other product of this step is a molecule of the desired ester  

In Experiment [8B] you will be synthesizing the isopentyl alcohol (3-methylbutanol) ester of acetic add (the basic building block of the fatty adds), isopentyl acetate (isoamyl acetate).This low molecular weigjit ester has a distinct banana- or pear-like odor, and the liquid product is often referred to as banana oil or pear oil (see above). Isopentyl acetate has a wide variety of uses as a flavoring agent in mineral waters and syrups a solvent for oil paints, tarinins, nitrocellulose, lacquers, and a number of other commercial products a perfume ingredient in shoe polish and in the manufacture of artifidal silk, leather, and pearls.You are very Kkely to find this experiment to be a pleasant olfactory experience  

In Experiment [8C] you will use a polymer-bound acid reagent to catalyze the esterification reaction. Polymer-bound reagents are becoming increasingly useful in organic synthesis both in the research laboratory and in industrial-scale reactions. 

CAUTION Acetyl chloride is an irritant. Dispense this reagent in the hood using an automatic delivery pipet. (Be sure to quickly reassemble the reaction vial and condenser following addition of the acid chloride, because this reagent wiU rapidly react with moist laboratory air and lose its activity.) 

Reaction Conditions. Heat the reaction mixture for 1 h at gentle reflux with stirring, using a sand bath temperature of 110-120 °C. Cool the resulting mixture to room temperature. 

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