Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Acid-Catalyzed Hydrolysis01:13

Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Acid-Catalyzed Hydrolysis

Hydrolysis of esters under acidic conditions proceeds through a nucleophilic acyl substitution. In the presence of excess water, the reaction proceeds in a reversible manner, forming carboxylic acids and alcohols.
During hydrolysis, the ester is first activated towards nucleophilic attack through the protonation of the carboxyl oxygen atom by the acid catalyst. The protonation makes the ester carbonyl carbon more electrophilic. In the next step, water acts as a nucleophile and adds to the...
Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Overview01:20

Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Overview

The Fischer esterification reaction was developed by the German chemist Emil Fischer in 1895. It is a condensation reaction between carboxylic acids and alcohols in an acidic medium to give esters and water.
Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Mechanism01:13

Carboxylic Acids to Esters: Acid-Catalyzed (Fischer) Esterification Mechanism

Carboxylic acids react with alcohols to yield esters via an acid-catalyzed condensation reaction called Fischer esterification. This is a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction that proceeds via a tetrahedral intermediate, where a water molecule is eliminated as the leaving group.
Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Saponification01:25

Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Saponification

Esters can be hydrolyzed to carboxylic acids under acidic or basic conditions. Base-promoted hydrolysis of esters is a nucleophilic acyl substitution reaction in which esters react with an aqueous base, followed by an acid to give carboxylic acids. This reaction is also known as saponification because it forms the basis for making soaps from fats.
The reaction requires a base in stoichiometric amounts, which participates in the reaction and is not regenerated later. So, the base acts as a...
Alkylation of β-Diester Enolates: Malonic Ester Synthesis01:14

Alkylation of β-Diester Enolates: Malonic Ester Synthesis

Malonic ester synthesis is a method to obtain α substituted carboxylic acids from ꞵ-diesters such as diethyl malonate and alkyl halides.
Esters to Alcohols: Grignard Reaction01:08

Esters to Alcohols: Grignard Reaction

The reaction of an ester with a Grignard reagent, followed by hydrolysis of the magnesium alkoxide salt in aqueous acid, yields a tertiary alcohol. In the case of formate esters, secondary alcohols are formed.
The reaction requires two equivalents of the Grignard reagent and introduces two identical alkyl groups, derived from the Grignard reagent, bonded to the hydroxyl-bearing carbon of the alcohol.
The reaction follows the typical nucleophilic acyl substitution mechanism. The Grignard...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Real-time bioelectronic sensing of environmental contaminants.

Nature·2022
Same author

100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science Viewpoint: Soft Materials for Microbial Bioelectronics.

ACS macro letters·2022
Same author

Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for quinolinic acid production by assembling L-aspartate oxidase and quinolinate synthase as an enzyme complex.

Metabolic engineering·2021
Same author

Polymer-Based Local Antibiotic Delivery for Prevention of Polymicrobial Infection in Contaminated Mandibular Implants.

ACS biomaterials science & engineering·2021
Same author

Recombination of 2Fe-2S Ferredoxins Reveals Differences in the Inheritance of Thermostability and Midpoint Potential.

ACS synthetic biology·2020
Same author

Genetic sensor-regulators functional in Clostridia.

Journal of industrial microbiology & biotechnology·2020
Same journal

Role of Aspergillus neutral protease II in heat-induced soy sauce sediment formation.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same journal

Cysteine-S-conjugate β-lyase: a green catalyst for the production of flavor-active mercaptoketones.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same journal

Perfusion development and its potential for cell therapy manufacturing with adherent cells.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same journal

Bacterial degradation of aromatic ester pollutants in agro-ecosystems: implications for bioremediation.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same journal

Inhibiting biofilm growth on ammonium salt-functionalized or fluorinated voice prostheses silicone.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same journal

Enhancing reproducibility in mixing time determination of stirred tank reactors via automated analysis and standardized inter-laboratory trials.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Synthesis of Esters Via a Greener Steglich Esterification in Acetonitrile
06:52

Synthesis of Esters Via a Greener Steglich Esterification in Acetonitrile

Published on: October 30, 2018

Microbial formation of esters.

Yong Cheol Park1, Catherine Emily Horton Shaffer, George N Bennett

  • 1Department of General Education, Kookmin University, Seoul, South Korea.

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|August 29, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microbes biosynthesize small esters via acyl-CoA condensation, aldehyde oxidation, and Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases. These natural flavor compounds have biotechnological applications.

More Related Videos

Isolation and Screening from Soil Biodiversity for Fungi Involved in the Degradation of Recalcitrant Materials
08:21

Isolation and Screening from Soil Biodiversity for Fungi Involved in the Degradation of Recalcitrant Materials

Published on: May 16, 2022

Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,6-Ketoesters Mediated by Ionic Liquids: A Three-component Reaction Enabling Rapid Access to a New Class of Low Molecular Weight Gelators
06:31

Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,6-Ketoesters Mediated by Ionic Liquids: A Three-component Reaction Enabling Rapid Access to a New Class of Low Molecular Weight Gelators

Published on: November 27, 2015

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Synthesis of Esters Via a Greener Steglich Esterification in Acetonitrile
06:52

Synthesis of Esters Via a Greener Steglich Esterification in Acetonitrile

Published on: October 30, 2018

Isolation and Screening from Soil Biodiversity for Fungi Involved in the Degradation of Recalcitrant Materials
08:21

Isolation and Screening from Soil Biodiversity for Fungi Involved in the Degradation of Recalcitrant Materials

Published on: May 16, 2022

Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,6-Ketoesters Mediated by Ionic Liquids: A Three-component Reaction Enabling Rapid Access to a New Class of Low Molecular Weight Gelators
06:31

Highly Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,6-Ketoesters Mediated by Ionic Liquids: A Three-component Reaction Enabling Rapid Access to a New Class of Low Molecular Weight Gelators

Published on: November 27, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Small aliphatic esters are vital natural flavor and fragrance compounds.
  • They serve as solvents and chemical intermediates in various industries.
  • Microbial biosynthesis offers alternative routes to chemical synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review biochemical pathways for microbial ester biosynthesis.
  • To explore the physiological roles of these ester-forming reactions.
  • To highlight the biotechnological potential of microbial ester production.

Main Methods:

  • Review of literature on microbial ester biosynthesis pathways.
  • Discussion of enzymes involved: acyl-CoA ester synthases, alcohol dehydrogenases, and Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases.
  • Examination of gene cloning and functional expression studies.

Main Results:

  • Identified three primary microbial ester biosynthesis routes: acyl-CoA and alcohol condensation, hemiacetal oxidation, and Baeyer-Villiger oxidation.
  • Established physiological roles including ketone degradation, aldehyde detoxification, and cofactor recycling.
  • Demonstrated isolation, characterization, and genetic analysis of key enzymes.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial ester biosynthesis pathways are diverse and physiologically significant.
  • Enzymes and genes involved have been identified and characterized.
  • Microorganisms and recombinant systems show promise as biocatalysts for ester and chiral lactone production.