In esterification

Options

A. `OH^(-)` of acid is replaced by `C_(6)H_(5)OH`
B. `H^(+)` of acid is replaced by sodium metal
C. `OH^(-)` of alcohol is replaced by chlorine
D. `OH^(-)` of acid is replaced by `RO^(-)` group

Answer

To solve the question about esterification, we will go through the process step by step.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Esterification**:
- Esterification is a chemical reaction that involves the formation of an ester from a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. The general reaction can be represented as:
\[ \text{RCOOH (Carboxylic Acid)} + \text{R'OH (Alcohol)} \rightarrow \text{RCOOR' (Ester)} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \]

2. **Identifying Reactants**:
- In this reaction, we have two main reactants: a carboxylic acid (RCOOH) and an alcohol (R'OH). The carboxylic acid contains a carbonyl group (C=O) and a hydroxyl group (OH).

3. **Mechanism of Esterification**:
- The mechanism involves the nucleophilic attack of the alcohol on the carbonyl carbon of the carboxylic acid. The lone pair of electrons on the oxygen of the alcohol attacks the electrophilic carbon of the carboxylic acid.

4. **Formation of the Ester**:
- As the alcohol attacks, the hydroxyl group (OH) of the carboxylic acid is replaced by the alkoxy group (R'O-) from the alcohol. This results in the formation of the ester (RCOOR') and the release of a water molecule (H2O).

5. **Final Reaction**:
- The overall balanced equation for the esterification reaction can be summarized as:
\[ \text{RCOOH} + \text{R'OH} \rightarrow \text{RCOOR'} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \]

### Conclusion:
The correct understanding of the esterification process shows that the hydroxyl group (OH) of the carboxylic acid is replaced by the alkoxy group from the alcohol, resulting in the formation of an ester and water.