Question

What is saponification? Write the reaction involved in this process.

Answer 1

The process in which esters ($\mathrm{RCOOR}$) are converted into carboxylic acid salts ($\mathrm{RCOONa}$) and Ethanol (${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}$) by reacting them with a suitable base such as Sodium hydroxide ($\mathrm{NaOH}$) is known as saponification reaction.

The reaction involved in this process is:

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COOC}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\stackrel{\mathrm{NaOH}}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa}+{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH} \\ (\mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{acetate})(\mathrm{Sodium}\mathrm{acetate})\left(\mathrm{Ethanol}\right) \end{gathered}$$

In the given chemical reaction, Ethyl acetate (${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COOC}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5$) in the presence of $\mathrm{NaOH}$ forms Sodium acetate (${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COONa}$) and Ethanol.