Question

Where in nature you can find the products of esterification reaction?

Answer 1

Hint: During an esterification reaction, a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol to produce an ester along with the release of water. This ester has a fruity smell and is generally found in those products which have a fruit like fragrance. Naturally, it is found in aspirin and many polyester compounds.

Complete answer:
An esterification reaction is the process in which there is a reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol to give a fruity fragrance ester with the loss of a water molecule. The reaction is as follows:
$X - COOH + Y - OH\xrightarrow{\Delta }X - COOY + {H_2}O$
In this reaction, the compound $X - COO - Y$ is the ester.
\[XCOOH\] – It is the carboxylic acid in which ‘X’ is any aryl or aliphatic group.
\[YOH\] – It is the alcohol in which ‘Y’ is any aryl or aliphatic group.
The esterification process is the reverse process of hydrolysis. When an ester is dissolved in the water, it breaks down into carboxylic acid and an alcohol and releases a huge amount of energy in the form of enthalpy of hydration as there is a breakage of strong bonds.
The ester is an organic compound which is found in many natural products such as aspirin, apple, pineapple, etc.

Note:
There are various other products that have a fruit like smell and the student must not get confused with the odor. Esters are clearly produced by the dehydration reaction between a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. In nature, esters provide a fruity smell to various fruits such as apple, pineapple, banana, etc.