A student warms methanol and propanoic acid in two separate experiments. The same amount of ester is formed in each experiment. The only difference is whether concentrated sulfuric acid is added.
| Experiment | Concentrated sulfuric acid added | Time taken to form the ester |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yes | 24 minutes |
| 2 | No | 96 minutes |
Explain what the results show about the role of concentrated sulfuric acid.
Name the other product formed alongside the ester.
97 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Chemistry 7.2 Reactions of alkenes and alcohols, covering 7.2.1 Structure and formulae of alkenes, 7.2.2 Reactions of alkenes, 7.2.3 Alcohols, 7.2.4a Carboxylic acids, and 7.2.4b Carboxylic acids as weak acids. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.