Question

a)If the Keq for the esterification of acetic acid with isopentyl alcohol is 3.0, what is the maximum amount of isopentyl acetate that can be recovered at equilibrium if a 1:1 mole ratio of alcohol was used?
b)If a 1:5 mole ratio was used?
c) 5:1 mole ratio?

Answer 1

Let ROH stand for isopentyl alcohol.
........CH3COOH + ROH ==> CH3COOR + H2O
begin....1.0 mol...1.0......0.........0
change....-x.......-x.......+x.......+x
final....1.-x.......1.0-x.....x........x

Set up Keq expression and substitute the ICE chart. Solve for x.
For the other parts, just change the starting moles.