Esters are usually synthesized from an alcohol and an acid, most frequently, a carboxylic acid. In some cases, an epoxide is used instead of the alcohol; or an acid halide or anhydride replaces the ...

Acetic anhydride, or ethanoic anhydride, is the chemical compound with the formula (CH3CO)2O. Commonly abbreviated Ac2O, it is the simplest isolable anhydride of a carboxylic acid and is widely used ...