Please help!
1) What is the minimum number of carbon atoms present in an ester?
2) If the alcohol and acid which react to form an ester are part of the same molecule, the cyclic ester which is formed belongs to which class of compounds? esters, there is no special name for these compounds, lactones, lactams, or lactanes.

Question

Please help!
1) What is the minimum number of carbon atoms present in an ester?
2) If the alcohol and acid which react to form an ester are part of the same molecule, the cyclic ester which is formed belongs to which class of compounds? esters, there is no special name for these compounds, lactones, lactams, or lactanes.

jfraser · Answer

An ester MUST HAVE a carbonyl group attached to a non-terminal carbon, and an oxygen in between the carbons in a chain