Question

Initially you dissolved all, or most, of the p-aminobenzoic acid in ethanol. then you slowly added sulfuric acid. as you did this, a large amount of white solid formed. during the course of the reaction, that white solid dissolved. what was that white solid that formed upon addition of sulfuric acid?

Answer 1

This reaction is known as esterification, esterification is done by reacting carboxylic acid with alcohol in the presence of acid. Below reactions depicts the formation of ester (right reaction) and a formation of salt (left) this salt formed is insoluble in ethanol, hence, white precipitates are observed.