Give the systematic names of the alkanol and the carboxylic acid that are required to synthesise propyl propanoate - VCE - SSCE Chemistry - Question 4 - 2012 - Paper 1

The balanced chemical equation for the synthesis of propyl propanoate from propanol and propanoic acid is:

Where:

• C₃H₈O is 1-propanol
• C₂H₄O₂ is propanoic acid
• C₅H₁₀O₂ is propyl propanoate
• H₂O is water.

To prepare a sample of pure propyl propanoate:

1. Reactants Preparation: Begin with a pure sample of 1-propanol and propanoic acid.
2. Catalyst Addition: Add a catalyst, such as sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), to the mixture.
3. Reflux: Heat the mixture under reflux to allow the esterification reaction to proceed.
4. Distillation: After the reaction completes, use fractional distillation to purify the product, separating propyl propanoate from any unreacted materials and byproducts.
5. Collection: Collect the distillate which is the pure propyl propanoate.

One method to verify the purity of the produced substance is by using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. By comparing the IR spectrum of the sample with the known spectrum of pure propyl propanoate, one can confirm the absence of any additional peaks that would indicate impurities. A broad absorption peak at approximately 2500–3300 cm⁻¹ corresponding to -OH groups would indicate contamination, while the specific carbonyl stretch at around 1720 cm⁻¹ would confirm the presence of the pure ester.