Question

reasons for pouring water when identifying the smell of esters​

Answer 1

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The smell is often masked or distorted by the smell of the carboxylic acid. A simple way of detecting the smell of the ester is to pour the mixture into some water in a small beaker. Apart from the very small ones, esters are fairly insoluble in water and tend to form a thin layer on the surface.

Answer 2

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The smell is often masked or distorted by the smell of the carboxylic acid. A simple way of detecting the smell of the ester is to pour the mixture into some water in a small beaker. Apart from the very small ones, esters are fairly insoluble in water and tend to form a thin layer on the surface.