Ester
The ester has the structure R-COO-R' — it can be thought of as a carboxylic acid where the hydroxyl's hydrogen was swapped for an alkyl group. Many short-chain esters have a characteristic fruity smell.
General formula
R–COO–R'
Naming rule
Name = [acid radical]-oate + [alcohol radical]-yl. For example, ethyl ethanoate comes from ethanoic acid + ethanol.
Examples
| Name | Formula |
|---|---|
| Methyl methanoate | HCOOCH₃ |
| Ethyl ethanoate | CH₃COOC₂H₅ |
| Methyl ethanoate | CH₃COOCH₃ |