Ethanol reacts with acetic anhydride to give :

Options

A. Higher alcohol
B. Ether
C. Ester
D. Alkene

Answer

To solve the question "Ethanol reacts with acetic anhydride to give:", we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the Reactants
The reactants in this reaction are ethanol and acetic anhydride. Ethanol is represented as CH3CH2OH, and acetic anhydride can be represented as (CH3CO)2O.

### Step 2: Write the Reaction
When ethanol reacts with acetic anhydride, the hydroxyl group (-OH) of ethanol interacts with the acetic anhydride. The reaction can be written as:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{OH} + \text{(CH}_3\text{CO)}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{OCOCH}_3 + \text{CH}_3\text{COOH} \]

### Step 3: Identify the Products
The products of this reaction are ethyl acetate (CH3CH2OCOCH3) and acetic acid (CH3COOH). Ethyl acetate is an ester formed from the reaction of ethanol and acetic anhydride.

### Step 4: Compare with Given Options
Now, we compare the product (ethyl acetate) with the given options: higher alcohol, ether, ester, or alkene. Since ethyl acetate is an ester, the correct answer is:

**Ester**

### Final Answer
Ethanol reacts with acetic anhydride to give an **ester** (ethyl acetate).

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