Estervorm

Estervorm is a term used in chemistry to refer to the structural form of esters, a class of organic compounds that contain the ester functional group, typically described by the general formula R-CO-O-R'. In Dutch, esters are often discussed in terms of their estervorm, emphasising the ester linkage between the acyl (R-CO-) and alkoxy (-O-R') components. The estervorm can also be described by common names such as alkyl esters or acyl alkyl esters, depending on whether the alkoxy substituent or the acyl side is varied.

Esters form by condensation of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol, a process known as esterification, commonly catalyzed by acid. They can also be prepared by reacting acyl chlorides with alcohols, or by transesterification of esters. Hydrolysis of esters under acidic or basic conditions yields a carboxylic acid (or its salt) and an alcohol, reversing the ester formation. Esters display a range of physical properties; many have pleasant odors and are used as flavors and fragrances, solvents, and plasticizers. In polymer chemistry, esters are key linkages in polyesters such as PET.

The term estervorm thus encapsulates the characteristic ester linkage and its consequences for reactivity and applications. For more detail, see ester, hydrolysis, transesterification, and polyester chemistry.