Trimethyl citrate is an ester of citric acid, and it can be synthesized through the esterification of citric acid with methanol in the presence of an acid catalyst. Here's a general procedure to prepare trimethyl citrate:
### Materials Needed:
- Citric acid
- Methanol (also referred to as methyl alcohol)
- Acid catalyst (commonly sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid)
- Heat source (hot plate or reflux setup)
- Distillation apparatus (optional, for