Consider the following reaction pathway to produce an ester. What type of reaction is reaction 3?

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Question: Consider the following reaction pathway to produce an ester. What type of reaction is reaction 3?
Options: a. substitution  b. condensation  c. oxidation  d. hydration

Option a: substitution. This would involve exchanging one substituent for another on a molecule, typically without forming or removing a small molecule like water. In the context of ester formation, substitution alone does not capture the characteristic bond-forming event where a new ester bond is created while a small molecule is released. Therefore, this is not the best description for reaction 3.

Option b: condensation. A condensation reaction is defined as the joining of two molecules with the simultaneous elimination of a small molecule (often water). Ester formation—where a carboxylic acid and an alcohol combine to form an ester and water is expelled—is a classic example of a condensation reaction. This aligns with the typical mechanism of esterification and with the idea of building a larger molecule while losing a small molecule.

Option c: oxidation. Oxidation involves increasing the oxidation state of a species, often by adding oxygen or removing hydrogen, or vice versa in reduction. Forming an ester does not inherently involve a change in oxidation state of the reacting carbon atoms to a higher oxidation level. Thus, oxidation is not an appropriate description of reaction 3.

Option d: hydration. Hydration refers to the addition of water across a double bond or other unsaturated site, or the general addition of water to a molecule. In ester formation, water is typically a byproduct, not the reagent adding across a double bond. Therefore, hydration mischaracterizes the process here.

In summary, the key feature of reaction 3 is the combination of two molecules with the loss of a small molecule (water) to form a larger ester, which is the hallmark of a condensation reaction. The other options describe different types of transformations that do not match the ester-forming step in this pathway.

MUF0042 Chemistry Unit 2 - Semester 2, 2025 3.15 Quiz: Reaction Pathways

Consider the following reaction pathway to produce an ester. What type of reaction is reaction 3?

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