CAIE A-Level Chemistry 18.2.2 Acid and Alkaline Ester Hydrolysis

Practise hydrolysing esters with hot dilute acid or alkali and identifying the different acid or carboxylate products.

Exam points

with dilute acid and heat, split the ester into a carboxylic acid and an alcohol
with dilute alkali and heat, form a carboxylate salt and an alcohol rather than free acid
assign each product by tracing the acyl and alkoxy sides of the original –COO– linkage

[Maximum number: 2]

Allyl chloride is an important chemical used in the manufacture of plastics, pharmaceuticals and pesticides.

allyl chloride

A series of reactions starting from allyl chloride is shown.

Figure for Question 18.2.2—Hydrolysis of esters by dil. acid and by dil. question 1 — CAIE A-Level Chemistry AS

The organic product of reaction 3 is Y.
Y can be hydrolysed using excess aqueous $\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{SO}_{4}$ to form Z.
The molecular formula of Z is $\mathrm{C}_{4} \mathrm{H}_{8} \mathrm{O}_{4}$ .
Draw the structure of Z.

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18.2.2—Hydrolysis of esters by dil. acid and by dil. question 1