Do I need a reflux condenser?

[Elite Engineer]

I'm trying to perform some addition/ substitution reactions involving carboxylic acids. Is it necessary to use a reflux condenser to supply enough energy for the reaction to occur, or will a catalyst and heat be sufficient?

 

-thanks

 

~EE

[John Cuthber]

How do you think a reflux condenser would supply energy?

In fact they are used to remove energy from a system.

[Elite Engineer]

How do you think a reflux condenser would supply energy?

In fact they are used to remove energy from a system.

sorry, I was typing on the fly. What I meant was, do most of these reactions require you to perform them under reflux, via using a reflux condenser?

[John Cuthber]

It's not possible to say because I don't know exactly what you are doing.

But reflux makes most reactions a lot more practical because it lets you keep the mixture hot at a constant temperature for as long as the reaction takes.

 

To some extent, it's irrelevant; you will need to distil the product and so you will need a condenser anyway.