The ester formed by reacting ethanol with benzoic acid is called which compound?

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Multiple Choice

The ester formed by reacting ethanol with benzoic acid is called which compound?

Esters come from a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, with the alkoxy part of the ester coming from the alcohol and the acyl part from the acid. Benzoic acid provides the benzoate portion, and ethanol provides the ethyl group, so the product is ethyl benzoate (structure C6H5-COO-CH2CH3). The other options would require different alcohols or acids (for example, methanol would give methyl benzoate; propanol would give propyl benzoate; using salicylic acid would give ethyl salicylate).

Esters come from a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, with the alkoxy part of the ester coming from the alcohol and the acyl part from the acid. Benzoic acid provides the benzoate portion, and ethanol provides the ethyl group, so the product is ethyl benzoate (structure C6H5-COO-CH2CH3). The other options would require different alcohols or acids (for example, methanol would give methyl benzoate; propanol would give propyl benzoate; using salicylic acid would give ethyl salicylate).

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