What are the characteristics of esters formed from ethanoic acid?

Esters formed from ethanoic acid are organic compounds with sweet, fruity smells and are often liquid at room temperature.

Esters are a type of organic compound that are formed from a reaction between an acid and an alcohol, in this case, ethanoic acid. The general formula for an ester is R-COO-R', where R and R' represent different organic groups. When ethanoic acid is involved in the formation of an ester, the resulting compound will always have the -COO- group attached to a two-carbon chain, due to the presence of two carbon atoms in ethanoic acid.

One of the most distinctive characteristics of esters, including those formed from ethanoic acid, is their smell. They often have sweet, fruity odours, which makes them popular in the production of perfumes and flavourings. For example, ethyl ethanoate, an ester formed from ethanoic acid and ethanol, has a smell reminiscent of pears.

Esters formed from ethanoic acid are often liquid at room temperature. This is because the intermolecular forces between ester molecules are relatively weak, meaning less energy (in the form of heat) is required to change them from a solid to a liquid state. This characteristic, combined with their pleasant smells, makes them useful in a variety of applications, from food flavourings to nail polish removers.

In terms of their chemical properties, esters formed from ethanoic acid are relatively unreactive. They do not react with bases or acids in the same way that the parent acid (ethanoic acid) does. However, they can be hydrolysed back into their constituent alcohol and acid, particularly in the presence of a strong acid or base. This process is often used in the laboratory to test for the presence of esters.