Esterification and Refluxing

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