The reaction between adipic acid and ethylene glycol is a common process in chemical synthesis. Adipic acid is a dibasic acid with a carboxyl group; ethylene glycol is a dibasic alcohol containing hydroxyl groups. When the two meet, under suitable conditions, such as the presence of a specific temperature and catalyst, esterification can occur.

At the beginning of the reaction, the carboxyl group of adipic acid interacts with the hydroxyl group of ethylene glycol, and through the mechanism of dehydration and condensation, ester bonds are gradually formed. First, a carboxyl group reacts with a hydroxyl group to form a molecule of water and a molecule of monoester. Subsequently, the remaining carboxyl groups continue to react with hydroxyl groups to form a more complex polyester structure.

The process of this reaction is influenced by a variety of factors. The increase in temperature can generally speed up the reaction rate, but the high temperature or the occurrence of side reactions will affect the purity of the product. The choice of catalyst is also crucial, and the appropriate catalyst can effectively reduce the activation energy of the reaction, promote the reaction, and improve the reaction efficiency.

Polyesters formed by the reaction of adipic acid and ethylene glycol are widely used in many fields. It can be used to make fibers, which have good mechanical properties and chemical stability and are suitable for the textile industry. It can also be used to prepare plastics, which play an important role in packaging, engineering materials, etc. In short, the reaction of adipic acid and ethylene glycol is of great significance to materials science and industrial production.