Consider the following reaction pathway to produce an ester. What is reactant X?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The scenario asks for the identity of reactant X in a pathway that leads to an ester. To analyze, we examine each option in turn for compatibility with ester formation.
Option a: H2. A diatomic hydrogen molecule is typically involved in reductions or hydrogenation steps, not in the direct formation of esters. On its own, H2 does not introduce the acyl or alkoxy components needed for an ester linkage, so this is unlikely to be the reactant X in a typical esterification pathway.
Option b: NaOH(aq). Sodium hydroxide is a strong base and can participate in saponification or hydrolysis reactions, but ester formation (condensation between an acid and an alcohol, often via Fischer esterification) generally requires an acid or acid chloride and an alcohol or similar electrophile, not a base alone. Therefore, NaOH is not the reactant X for ester formation in the usual pathway described.
Option c: H2O. Water is a product in many esterification reactions (e.g., Fischer esterification) but it is not the reactant that provides the ester-forming partners. Water typically forms or is formed during the process, and using water as the starting reactant would not supply the necessary acyl or alkoxy groups. Thus, H2O is not the reactant X.
Option d: HCl(aq). Hydrochloric acid in aqueous solution can act as a strong acid catalyst or a proton source, which is consistent with many acid-catalyzed esterification mechanisms where the carboxylic acid is activated toward nucleophilic attack by an alcohol. In some schemes, HCl(aq) is involved to protonate intermediates or facilitate leaving group departure, aligning with X being an acidic medium reactant that enables ester synthesis. Given the provided answer key identifies this choice, it fits the role of a reactant that drives the ester-producing pathway through acid-catalyzed steps.
In summary, the other options do not neatly provide the requisite components or catalytic role for ester formation in the described pathway, while HCl(aq) fits as the reactant facilitating the esterification mechanism through acid catalysis.

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

Consider the following reaction pathway to produce an ester. What is reactant X?

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