A carboxylic acid is a compound with the general formula R–COOH. The formation of an ester molecule occurs through the following reaction: For example, the formation of ethyl butanoate, one of the ...

Tomato plants emit a scent to resist bacterial attacks. This aroma—or volatile compound—is hexenyl butanoate (HB). A team from the Research Institute for Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBMCP), ...

and two carbon atoms in the parent alcohol (ethanol). This ester is called ethyl butanoate. The names and structures of some other esters are shown below.

For example, if you mix ethanol with butanoic acid, you get ethyl butanoate, which is used for pineapple flavoring. You don't ...