Esters are organic compounds that are formed by the joining of an acid and an alcohol with the resultant elimination of a water molecule. This is a condensation reaction. The functional group of esters is a carbonyl group (COO) in which the carbon is double bonded to one of the oxygen atoms and the other oxygen and the carbon both have an alkyl radical attached. The general formula of an ester is R¹COOR² where R¹ and R² may be the same or different. The majority of the reactions involving this functional group involve a break between the single bonded oxygen and carbon to yield R¹CO⁺ and R²OH. The reaction to produce an ester is reversible and to obtain the maximum yield of ester the water must be removed as it is formed. This can be carried out using sulfuric acid (this...