How do we represent the saponification of ethyl acetate by sodium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide?

1 Answer
Feb 18, 2016

#"H"_3"CCH"_2"C(=O)OC"_2"H"_5 + "NaOH" rarr "C"_2"H"_5"OH + H"_3"CCH"_2"C(=O)O"^(-)"Na"^+ #

Explanation:

Alternatively,

#"ethyl propanoate + sodium hydroxide"# #rarr# #"sodium propanoate + ethyl alcohol"#

The ester linkage is labile to hydrolysis by either aqueous acid or aqueous base. With base, and with longer esters, this is a saponification reaction, because it is used to make soap (on which we all depend!).