For example, by heating a mixture of ethanoic acid and ethanol in presence of concentrated sulphuric acid, a small ester ethanoic acid can be made.
A Closer Look: Condensation Polymers A commercially important esterification reaction is condensation polymerization, in which a reaction occurs between a dicarboxylic acid and a dihydric alcohol diol , with the elimination of water.
Since we produce water in the esterification, the silica gel will absorb the water and drive the equilibrium towards the desired product.