esterification

Alcohols can combine with many kinds of acids to form esters. When no type of acid is specified, the word ester is assumed to mean a carboxylic ester, the ester of an alcohol and a carboxylic acid. The reaction, called Fischer esterification, is characterized…

…and 4-hydroxy acids undergo intramolecular esterification to give cyclic esters called lactones. These reactions take place so readily, even without heating, that in most cases the only way to keep these kinds of hydroxy acids from forming cyclic esters is to convert them to their sodium or potassium salts. 2-Hydroxy…

…organic acids and alcohols, called esterification, is catalyzed by the presence of small amounts of a strong inorganic acid, just as is the reverse process, the hydrolysis of esters (the reaction between an ester and water).

…sulfuric acid, a process called esterification. In the reaction the hydroxyl group (OH) of the carboxylic acid is replaced by the alkoxy group (R′O) of the alcohol.