Primary alcohols, dehydration esterification

The butyl alcohols undergo esterification with organic acids in the usual manner in the presence of trace amounts of mineral acid catalysts. Esterification is fastest with /-butyl alcohol and slowest with the primary alcohols although /-butyl alcohol undergoes substantial dehydration in the presence of the typical acid esterification catalysts. 

Benzyl alcohol readily undergoes the reactions characteristic of a primary alcohol, such as esterification and etherification, as well as halide formation. In addition, it undergoes ring substitution. In the presence of acid, polymerization is observed, and the alcohol can be thermally dehydrated to toluene [108-88-3], Catalytic oxidation over copper oxide yields benzaldehyde benzoic acid is obtained by oxidation with chromic acid or potassium permanganate. Catalytic hydrogenation of the ring gives cyclohexylmethanol [100-49-2]. 

The most important reactions taking place on the hydroxy groups of alcohols are 0-H bond cleavage and C-O bond cleavage. With the O-H bond cleavage, reactions with strong acids proceed, as do oxidations of primary alcohols to aldehydes, secondary alcohols to ketones and reactions with organic acids (formation of esters). In foods the last three reactions are particularly important, and are usually enzymatically catalysed. Other important reactions are dehydration and the opposite reaction, hydration, which yield unsaturated hydrocarbons from alcohols and isomeric alcohols from unsaturated hydrocarbons, respectively. These reactions are particularly important in terpenic alcohols. In oleochemistry, oxidation and esterification reactions are used for the production of various lipid derivatives. 

In general, the reactions of the perfluoro acids are similar to those of the hydrocarbon acids. Salts are formed with the ease expected of strong acids. The metal salts are all water soluble and much more soluble in organic solvents than the salts of the corresponding hydrocarbon acids. Esterification takes place readily with primary and secondary alcohols. Acid anhydrides can be prepared by distillation of the acids from phosphoms pentoxide. The amides are readily prepared by the ammonolysis of the acid haUdes, anhydrides, or esters and can be dehydrated to the corresponding nitriles (31). 

In general, the acid catalyzed esterification of organic acids can be accomplished easily with primary or secondary alkyl or aryl alcohols, but tertiary alcohols usually give carbonium ions which lead to dehydration. The structure of the acid is also of importance. As a rule, the more hindered the acid is alpha to the carbonyl carbon the more difficult esterification becomes (20A). 

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