Ethyl pentanoate is an ester, a type of functional group that is formed from an alcohol and a carboxylic acid. In the case of ethyl pentanoate, the functional groups can be identified as follows:
- Esters: The main functional group in ethyl pentanoate is the ester group represented by the structure -COO-. In this molecular structure, you can see the carbonyl (C=O) linked to an oxygen atom connected to an ethyl group (C2H5).
- Alkyl groups: Additionally, ethyl pentanoate contains alkyl groups: specifically, the ethyl group (derived from ethanol) and the pentanoate moiety (derived from pentanoic acid).
The presence of the ester functional group is what gives ethyl pentanoate its characteristic properties, including its fruity smell and flavor, making it commonly used in food flavoring and perfumes.