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The sweet smell of success: a lesson plan on esters and organic synthesis

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Chemistry activity about esters and organic synthesis

High School/College

With this lesson plan on esters, your students will have to follow their noses. And when they’ve sniffed out the truth, they’ll come up smelling of roses.

Banana, strawberry, and pineapple are just a few of the fruity ester odors your students will get a whiff of as they’re learning about an important functional group, organic synthesis, and condensation reactions. Prep time is just 10 to 15 minutes, and the activity itself is about a period long. This’ll be a catalyst for some strong reactions from your students (if they concentrate).

Download lesson

Recommended Materials:

Acetic Acid
Butanol
Sulfuric acid H₂SO⁴ (18 M)
Sodium carbonate, Na₂CO₃
Test Tube Holder
Test tubes
Bunsen Burner

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