13 Chemical properties
1. Hydrolysis (the reverse of esterification) gives acid and alcohol.
- Acid hydrolysis (dilute mineral acid as catalyst, reversible): CH₃COOC₂H₅ + H₂O ⇌ CH₃COOH + C₂H₅OH.
- Alkaline hydrolysis — saponification (heating with aqueous NaOH or KOH; goes to completion): CH₃COOC₂H₅ + NaOH → CH₃COONa + C₂H₅OH ; C₆H₅COOC₂H₅ + NaOH → C₆H₅COONa + C₂H₅OH. Called saponification because heating fats with alkali gives soap (sodium salts of long-chain fatty acids). 2. Ammonolysis: esters react with ammonia to give an acid amide and an alcohol: CH₃COOC₂H₅ + NH₃ → CH₃CONH₂ + C₂H₅OH.