Esters refer to an organic compound made by replacing the hydrogen of an acid by an alkyl or other organic group. Esters are the derivative chemical compounds of carboxylic acids. These compounds contain carbonyl group adjacent to ether linkage. This group may contain a benzene ring such as benzyl or phenyl group or an alkyl group such as methyl or ethyl. The esters which occur naturally include oils, fats and triglycerides. Most types of esters include nitrate esters, polyesters, fatty acid esters of glycerol, and other esters, which are dependent on aromatic or alkyl group it contains.
Esterification is the general name for the synthesis of ester, in which two reactants (typically an alcohol and an acid) form an ester as the final product. Esters are common in organic chemistry and biological materials, and often have a characteristic pleasant, fruity odor. This leads to their extensive use in the fragrance and flavor industry. Ester bonds are also found in many polymers. Small esters have boiling points which are similar to those of aldehydes and ketones with the same number of carbon atoms. Small esters are fairly soluble in water but solubility falls with chain length. Common examples of esters are ethyl propanoate, propyl methanoate, methyl butanoate, and, propyl ethanoate. The boiling point of small ester, aldehydes and ketones are similar to the number of carbon atoms. Small esters have fair solubility in water; however, the solubility decreases with increasing chain length.
Esters are widely used in personal care and cosmetics industry. Fatty ester derived from vegetable oils or other renewable oils are used in cosmetics. Esters based on stearic, lauric and oleic acids, can be used as skin conditioning emollients, emulsifiers and moisturizers. Asia-Pacific & Africa are the emerging markets for personal care and cosmetics industry. The growth is propelled by economic development in the region coupled with increased disposable income, rising living standard and growing awareness about personal care and hygiene.
Geographically, the esters market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World. In terms of volume & value, Asia-Pacific had the largest share in the global esters market, followed by North America and Europe in 2015.
