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Ch.14 Carboxylic Acids, Esters, Amines, and Amides
Timberlake - Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry 13th Edition
Timberlake13th EditionChemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9780134421353Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 14, Problem 80c

Ethyl octanoate is a flavor component of mangoes.
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c. Write the balanced chemical equation for the acid hydrolysis of ethyl octanoate.

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Identify the reactants and products involved in the acid hydrolysis of ethyl octanoate. Acid hydrolysis of an ester involves the reaction of the ester with water in the presence of an acid catalyst, producing a carboxylic acid and an alcohol.
Write the general formula for the acid hydrolysis of an ester: RCOOR' + H2ORCOOH + R'OH. Here, R and R' represent alkyl groups.
Determine the structure of ethyl octanoate. Ethyl octanoate is an ester with the formula C10H20O2. It consists of an octanoic acid backbone (C8H16COOH) and an ethyl group (C2H5).
Substitute the specific groups into the general formula. The reaction becomes: C10H20O2 + H2OC8H16COOH (octanoic acid) + C2H5OH (ethanol).
Balance the chemical equation. Ensure that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation. Since the reaction is already balanced as written, the final balanced equation is: C10H20O2 + H2OC8H16COOH + C2H5OH.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Ester Hydrolysis

Ester hydrolysis is a chemical reaction where an ester reacts with water to form an alcohol and a carboxylic acid. This process can occur under acidic or basic conditions, but in this case, we focus on acid hydrolysis, which involves the presence of an acid catalyst. The reaction is important in organic chemistry as it helps in understanding the behavior of esters in various environments.
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Balanced Chemical Equation

A balanced chemical equation represents a chemical reaction with equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation. Balancing is crucial because it reflects the conservation of mass, ensuring that matter is neither created nor destroyed during the reaction. In the case of ethyl octanoate hydrolysis, the equation must accurately depict the reactants and products involved in the reaction.
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Functional Groups

Functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. In the context of ethyl octanoate, the ester functional group (-COO-) plays a key role in its reactivity during hydrolysis. Understanding functional groups is essential for predicting the behavior of organic compounds in chemical reactions.
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