Question

How to convert acetic acid to methane?

Answer 1

Conversion of Acetic acid to Methane

Step 1: Conversion of acetic acid into Carboxylic salt.

Acetic acid is reacted with Sodium hydroxide to form Sodium acetate.

$\underset{\mathrm{Acetic}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}}+\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{hydroxide}}{\mathrm{NaOH}}\to \underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{acetate}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa}}$

Step 2: Decarboxylation

The Sodium salt (Sodium acetate) is heated strongly with Soda lime $(\mathrm{NaOH}+\mathrm{CaO})$ to obtain methane and Sodium carbonate.

$\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{acetate}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa}}+\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{hydroxide}}{\mathrm{NaOH}}\stackrel{\mathrm{CaO}}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{Methane}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_4}+\underset{\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{carbonate}}{{\mathrm{Na}}_2{\mathrm{CO}}_3}$

Calcium oxide helps to keep Sodium hydroxide dry.

Acetic acid is converted to methane by reaction with sodium hydroxide, and then undergoing decarboxylation.