Lactone

Lactones are cyclic carboxylic esters. They are derived from the corresponding hydroxycarboxylic acids by esterification. They can be saturated or unsaturated.[1]

Lactones are formed by lactonization, the intramolecular esterification of the corresponding hydroxycarboxylic acids.[2]

  1. ^ "lactones", Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2.3.3, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, 2014-02-24, p. 817
  2. ^ Francis A. Carey; Robert M. Giuliano (2011), Organic Chemistry (8th ed.), McGraw-Hill, pp. 798–799