Which reagent is used for base hydrolysis of esters?

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Multiple Choice

Which reagent is used for base hydrolysis of esters?

Base hydrolysis of esters uses hydroxide to attack the carbonyl carbon, giving a tetrahedral intermediate that breaks down to a carboxylate salt and an alcohol. This reaction, often called saponification, requires a strong base such as NaOH in water with heat. The reagent provides the needed OH− to drive the nucleophilic acyl substitution and, in basic conditions, the carboxyl group ends up as its salt rather than a free carboxylic acid. Historically, this is how fats and oils are saponified to make soap. Concentrated sulfuric acid would promote acid-catalyzed hydrolysis, leading to carboxylic acids rather than carboxylate salts. Pyridinium chlorochromate oxidizes alcohols, not esters. Ozone performs ozonolysis, cleaving double bonds, not hydrolyzing esters. For example, methyl acetate + NaOH yields sodium acetate and methanol.

Base hydrolysis of esters uses hydroxide to attack the carbonyl carbon, giving a tetrahedral intermediate that breaks down to a carboxylate salt and an alcohol. This reaction, often called saponification, requires a strong base such as NaOH in water with heat. The reagent provides the needed OH− to drive the nucleophilic acyl substitution and, in basic conditions, the carboxyl group ends up as its salt rather than a free carboxylic acid. Historically, this is how fats and oils are saponified to make soap.

Concentrated sulfuric acid would promote acid-catalyzed hydrolysis, leading to carboxylic acids rather than carboxylate salts. Pyridinium chlorochromate oxidizes alcohols, not esters. Ozone performs ozonolysis, cleaving double bonds, not hydrolyzing esters. For example, methyl acetate + NaOH yields sodium acetate and methanol.

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