HYDROLYSIS OF METHYL ACETATE

The specific rate constant at two or more different temperatures were determined in this
experiment. The concentration of methyl acetate was determined at a given time through
titration samples with a standard sodium hydroxide solution. As observed, the rate K at a
certain time interval increases as temperature increases so we could say that their relationship
is directly proportional.
 1. INTRODUCTION

Acetic acid (HOAc) and methanol (MeOH) can be made by the liquid-phase
reaction of methylacetate (MeOAc) and water. The MeOAc hydrolysis reaction is
reversible and the reaction equilibrium constant, K, is relatively small; it does not
proceed at measurable velocity in pure, neutral water. Therefore, H+ ion is employed
as the catalyst in order to increase the reaction rate. Strong acids such as sulfuric acid
and hydrochloric acid can be used to produce an H+ ion and catalyze the reaction.
H+ CH3COOCH3 + H2O →CH3COOH + CH3OH
Although two molecules are involved in this reaction, the water is in a large
excess that only methyl acetate appears to change in concentration. The large excess
of water prevents the reverse reaction.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1 Materials:

Thermostats at 25° and 30°

Three 250 ml Erlenmeyer Flasks
Two 125 ml Erlenmeyer Flasks
5-ml pipette
100-ml pipette
Stopwatch or electric timer
Methyl acetate
2 liter 0.2 N sodium hydroxide solution
500 ml 1 N hydrochloric acid
Distilled water
Ice

2.2 Methods:

The sodium hydroxide solution was prepared by the dilution of a saturated stock
solution to minimize the amount of carbonate present and hence seduced the fading of the
phenolphthalein end point.
 12 ml methyl acetate was contained in a test tube, set into a thermostat at 25° C. 250
ml of standardized 1 N hydrochloric acid in a flask. After thermal equilibrium was
established, an aliquot of an acid was titrated with a standard sodium hydroxide solution. In
two 250 ml flasks, clamped in a thermostat, 100 ml of the acid was added and allowed to
come to thermal equilibrium for 5 minutes. 5 ml of methyl acetate was transferred to one of
the flasks with a clean, dry pipette. When the pipette was half emptied, the timing watch was
started. The reaction mixture was shaken to provide thorough mixing.

3. RESULTS

35 degree Celsius
TRIAL NORMALITY (with NORMALITY 9check
CH3COOCH3) determination)
0 (min) 6.6 O.024
5 (min) 6.9 0.025
10 (min) 7.5 0.027
FINAL 7.8 0.029
k=0.2312094

Table 1. Tabulated data at 35°C

 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
-0.5

-1

-1.5
ln [EtOAc (M)]

-2

-2.5

-3

-3.5

-4

-4.5 y = -0.0293x - 1.9227

-5
TIME (min)

Figure 1. Graph of ln [EtOAc] vs. time at 35°C

25 degree Celsius
TRIAL NORMALITY (with NORMALITY 9check
CH3COOCH3) determination)
0 (min) 5.9 O.021
5 (min) 6.5 0.024
10 (min) 7.5 0.027
FINAL 7.6 0.028
k=0.0395764

Table 3. Tabulated data at 25°C Trial 1

 0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
-1

-2

-3
LN [ETOAC (M)]

-4

-5

-6

-7

-8

-9
y = -0.1022x - 2.0988
-10
TIME (MINS.)

Figure 3. Graph of ln [EtOAc] vs. time at 25°C

4. DISCUSSION

In the table, the results show that as the time duration of the hydrolysis
increases, more volume of NaOH was used. The amount of base used is equivalent to
the total amount of acetic acid formed in the reaction and the HCl originally present.
Base on the Balance equation as one mole of methyl acetate that hydrolyze it
produces one mole of acetic acid, and the acidity is increasing as is a direct measure
of the amount of methyl acetate that has reacted. At higher temperature, the
calculated rate constant increases. This is because as the temperature increases the
kinetic energy of the molecules also increase causing them to collide and therefore
increasing the rate of reaction.
5. CONCLUSSION

Temperature is one of the factor that affects reaction rates. The higher the
temperature, the faster the reaction. At complete reaction, the reaction will cease and
some of the methyl acetate will remain unhydrolized at some time. Each molecule of
methyl acetate that hydrolized produced one molecule of acetic acid, the increase in
acidity is a measure of methyl acetate that has reacted. The concentration of hydrochloric
acid remains unchanged it only served as catalyst in the reaction. The value of specific
rate constant can be calculated using the first order reaction equation since hydrolysis of
methyl acetate is a first order reaction. Another way of determining the specific rate
constant is by plotting the log of concentration against time. The slope of the line is the
specific rate constant K.

APPENDICES

A. Equations
The hydrolysis of ethyl acetate was found to be a first-order reaction based on the
experiment taken. This reaction follows the first-order equation:
𝑑𝑐
− = 𝑘𝑡
𝑑𝑡
B. Calculations
Conc. Of reactant @ time t
@35˚C:

K1=(2.3030/5)log(7.8-6.6/7.8-6.8)= 0.036470

K2=(2.3030/10)log(7.8-6.6/7.8-6.9)= 0.028773

K3=(2.3030/20)log(7.8-6.6/7.8-7.1)= 0.026954

K4=(2.3030/30)log(7.8-6.6/7.8-7.3)= 0.029187

K5=(2.3030/40)log(7.8-6.6/7.8-7.5)= 0.034663
 Kave= 0.2312094

Normality: NAVA=NBVB

@0 min : NA=(.2)(6.6)/55=0.024

@5 min : NA=(.2)(6.9)/55=0.025090

@10 min : NA=(.2)(7.5)/55=0.027272

@FINAL : NA=(.2)(7.8)/55=0.02863

6. REFERENCES

[1] Ehteshami, M., Rahimi, N. & Jafari Nasr, M. R. (2004). A new process for the
hydrolysis of methyl acetate to produce acetic acid and methanol. 9th Chemical
Engineering Congress, Iran University of Science and Technology
[2] Missen, R. W., Mims, C. A. & Saville, B. A. (1999). Introduction to chemical
reaction engineering and kinetics. Wiley Publishing.