Question

identify the alcohol molecule in the ester compound butyl methanoate.
select the correct answer below:
butanoic acid
butanol
methanol
methanoic acid

Explanation:

Step1: Recall ester formation

Esters are formed from an acid and an alcohol. The general formula is \(R - COO - R'\), where \(R - COOH\) is the acid part and \(R' - OH\) is the alcohol part.

Step2: Analyze "butyl methanoate"

For butyl methanoate (\(HCOO - C_4H_9\)), the acid part is methanoic acid (\(HCOOH\)) and the alcohol part is butanol (\(C_4H_9OH\)).

Step3: Check options

• Butanoic acid (\(C_3H_7COOH\)) is an acid, not the alcohol in butyl methanoate.
• Methanol (\(CH_3OH\)) would be part of methyl methanoate (\(HCOOCH_3\)), not butyl methanoate.
• Methanoic acid (\(HCOOH\)) is the acid part in butyl methanoate, not the alcohol.
• Butanol (\(C_4H_9OH\)) is the correct alcohol as per ester structure analysis.

Answer:

B. butanol