Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Alcoholysis: A reaction in which an alcohol is a reactant, and becomes part of the reaction product.


Alcoholysis of tert-butyl chloride with ethanol (an alcohol) produces ethyl tert-butyl ether via the SN1 mechanism. Note that ethanol becomes part of the reaction product.


In this Fischer esterification reaction, benzoic acid (a carboxylic acid) is esterified with methanol (an alcohol) in the presence of sulfuric acid (an acid catalyst) to produce methyl benzoate (an ester). Note that methanol becomes part of the reaction product.