Question

Hydrolysis of methyl propanoate gives $_______$ and $ _________$.

Answer 1

Hint: Methyl propanoate is having molecular formula $C{{H}_{3}}C{{H}_{2}}COOC{{H}_{3}}$. It is an ester, which is having more water solubility. Hydrolysis is basically a simple reaction with water, and the hydrolysis of the ester is an electrophilic reaction.

Complete step by step solution:
- When Hydrolysis of methyl propanoate is carried out, in the presence of an acid catalyst following reaction takes place:
$C{{H}_{3}}C{{H}_{2}}COOC{{H}_{3}}+{{H}_{2}}O\longrightarrow C{{H}_{3}}C{{H}_{2}}COOH+C{{H}_{3}}OH$
- This reaction is reversible and is called ester hydrolysis.
- Here, we can see that in this reaction there is acyl-oxygen cleavage.
-It is an electrophilic reaction. In which an attack of hydroxide nucleotide takes place at C=O, which results in the formation of a tetrahedral intermediate.
-Here, we can see that equilibrium is found to be established between the acid and base reaction. And carboxylic acid is produced as a product along with alcohol.
- Hence, we can say that the Hydrolysis of methyl propanoate gives Propanoic acid and methanol.
- We can see the applications of ester hydrolysis:
- Alkyl halides are utilised as a part of refrigerants as CFCs that are chlorofluorocarbons. It is found that when water is added to alkyl halides, the substance is changed to a kind of liquor.

Methyl propanoate gives Propanoic acid and methanol.

Note:
- We must not get confused in the functional group’s ester and ether. Ether contains an oxygen atom attached to two alkyl or aryl groups. They are having the general formula R-O-R’. And ester is formed by the reaction of acid and alcohol, these are having formula RCOOR’