When an ester reacts with sodium hydroxide, it is converted back to alcohol and the sodium salt of the carboxylic acid. This reaction is known as saponification.
What happens when an ester reacts with sodium hydroxide, and what is this reaction called?
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When an ester reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), it undergoes a chemical reaction called saponification. In this reaction, the ester is hydrolyzed by the strong base (NaOH) to produce an alcohol and the sodium salt of the carboxylic acid. Specifically, the ester bond (-COO-) is broken, yielding an alcohol and the corresponding carboxylate ion. For example, if the ester were ethyl acetate (CH3COOCH2CH3), saponification with NaOH would yield ethanol (CH3CH2OH) and sodium acetate (CH3COONa). This reaction is widely used in the production of soap and is also employed in the preparation of various industrial chemicals.