Question

How will you convert ethanoic acid to methane? Give chemical equations for the reactions involved.

Answer 1

• Ethanoic acid has the chemical formula $C{H}_{3}COOH$. We cannot make methane directly from Ethanoic acid.
• We must first convert ethanoic acid to sodium ($Na$) salt, after which we can produce methane ($C{H}_4$) from it.
• To begin, Acetic acid combines with sodium hydroxide ($NaOH$) to produce Sodium acetate ($C{H}_{3}COONa$) and water ($H_{2}O$).

$\underset{Ethanoicacid}{C{H}_{3}COOH\left(aq\right)}+\underset{Sodiumhydroxide}{NaOH\left(s\right)}\to \underset{Sodiumacetate}{C{H}_{3}COONa\left(s\right)}+\underset{Water}{H_{2}O\left(l\right)}$

• On distillation, the formed Sodium acetate combines with sodium hydroxide to produce Methane, and the chemical process is as follows.

$\underset{Sodiumacetate}{C{H}_{3}COONa\left(s\right)}+\underset{Sodiumhydroxide}{NaOH\left(s\right)}\to \underset{Methane}{C{H}_4\left(g\right)}+\underset{Soidumcarbonate}{N{a}_{2}C{O}_3\left(s\right)}$