The Acidic Environment > 5. Esterification >
Explain the need for refluxing during esterification
- Refluxing: The process of heating a reaction mixture in a vessel with a condenser tube attached.
- Esterification reactions are refluxed to prevent:
- The build-up of pressure that occurs with a closed vessel reaction.
- The loss of volatile components.
- By preventing the escape of volatile components that are flammable, refluxing improves the safety of esterification reactions.
Refluxing