A2 - DETERMINATION OF THE RATE CONSTANT OF THE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS OF ETHYL

ACETATE USING SODIUM HYDROXIDE

02.03.2018 Assyra Canuto

OBJECTIVE

To determine the rate constant of the alkaline hydrolysis of ethyl acetate done by titration method.

THEORY
The alkaline hydrolysis of fats is often referred to as saponification, literally soap-making. However, over the
years the term has also found popularity when referring to the alkaline hydrolysis of any type of ester. For
example, the saponification of ethyl acetate, which is a bimolecular reaction,

CH3 – COO – CH2 – CH3 + NaOH  CH3 – COONa + CH3 – CH2 – OH

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The reaction is a second-order reaction,

er as
CH3COOC2H5 + OH- CH3COO- + C2H5OH

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Rate = k[CH3COOC2H5][OH-]

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where the rate equation can be written as,
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d cA
 = k c A c B
dt
cA = Concentration of ethyl acetate at time t,
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cB = Concentration of OH- at time t.

aC s
v i y re

In this experiment, the initial concentration of hydroxide ion is coordinated to be the same as that of ethyl
acetate. Since their initial concentrations are the same and the molar ratio of OH- : CH3COOC2H5 is 1 : 1, then
at any time t, the concentration of ethyl acetate must be the same as hydroxide ions. That is:
ed d

cA = cB
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hence,
d cA 2
 = k cA
dt
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and,
1 1
=k t+
Th

cA co

( y = mx + b )

where cO = Initial concentration of ethyl acetate.

cA = Concentration of ethyl acetate at time t.

A plot of 1/cA versus t should be a straight line. However, by measuring the slope of the graph
the rate constant k can be determined.

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 PROCEDURE

Firstly, 5ml of 0.04M hydrochloric acid solution was transferred using a pipette into seven separate 100ml
conical flasks – marked 1 to 7.

In a 250ml conical flask was pipetted 50ml of 0.04M of ethyl acetate solution and 50ml 0.04M of sodium
hydroxide solution and then mixed thoroughly and the stopwatch was started in the same instance. A
thermometer was placed in the reaction mixture flask A to record the temperature.

After 5 minutes it was pipetted 10ml of the reaction mixture into flask 1, which already contains the 0.04M
hydrochloric acid. Temperature of flask A was recorded.

Previous step was repeated at 5 minutes intervals until the titration data was acquired from 5 minutes to 35
minutes in a time interval of every 5 minutes.

The solutions were titrated with the sodium hydroxide in the burette adding 1 or 2 drops of phenolphthalein
indicator. As soon as the end point of titration had been reached from colourless to red, the used volume of

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sodium hydroxide from the burette was read and data recorded in table 1.

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Experiment steps 1 to 5 were repeated at 35oC using water bath provided. Only, samples at 2,4,6,8 and 10

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minutes were taken. For this step ethyl acetate and sodium hydroxide were equilibrated at 35oC before mixing

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them in reaction Flask A. rs e
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RESULTS

All results were tabulated to help record my laboratory results.

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Time Titre volume of c 1/c Temperature

aC s

( mins ) NaOH (ml) ( mol dm-3 ) ( dm3 mol-1 ) ( oC )

v i y re

5 2.33 7.12 x10-3 140.9 20.5

10 2.56 6.51 x10-3 153.6 20.5
15 2.86 5.71 x10-3 175.1 20.5
20 3.11 5.04 x10-3 198.4 20.5
ed d

25 3.34 4.43 x10-3 225.7 20.3

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30 3.39 4.29 x10-3 233.1 20.3

35 3.43 4.19 x10-3 238.7 20.1
Table 1. Measured and Calculated Values
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Calculate the concentration c (mol.dm-3) in Table 1 according to,

c = Original molarity of ethyl acetate – Titration value x 0.04

3 15

c = 0.04 – 2.33x 0.04 = 7.12 x 10-3

3 15
Similar calculations were repeated for all concentrations and the results were tabulated in Table 1. above.

Average temperature = 20.4oC

Temperature range = Highest temperature recorded – Lowest temperature recorded = 20.5 oC – 20.1 oC = 2.5oC

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 Rate constant (K1)
300

250
f(x) = 3.6 x + 122.93
R² = 0.97 233.1 238.7
225.7
1/c (dm3 mol-1 )

200
198.4
150 175.1
153.6
140.4
100

50

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Time(mins)

Graph 1. Rate constant k1

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er as
y = mx + c

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y = 3.6036x + 122.93

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slope = 3.6036; as slope = K1 , therefore ;

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k1 = 3.6036 dm-3.mol-1.min-1 at temperature 20.4oC
rs e
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Time Titre volume of c 1/c Temperature

(mins) NaOH (mol dm-3) (dm3 mol-1) (oC)
aC s

2 1.31 9.84 x10-3 101.6 35

v i y re

4 1.69 8.83 x10-3 113.2 35

-3
6 1.77 8.61 x 10 116.1 35
-3
8 1.76 8.64 x 10 115.7 35
ed d

-3
10 2.19 7.49 x 10 133.5 35
ar stu

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Table 2. Measured and Calculated Values at 35 C

Calculate the concentration c (mol.dm-3) in Table 2 according to,

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c = Original molarity of ethyl acetate – Titration value x 0.04

Th

3 15

c = 0.04 – 1.31x 0.04 = 9.84 x 10-3

3 15
Similar calculations were repeated for all concentrations and the results were tabulated in Table 2. above.

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 Rate constant (K2)
160
140
120 f(x) = 3.32 x + 96.13 133.5
R² = 0.84 116.1
1/c (dm3 mol-1)

100 113.2 115.7

101.6
80
60
40
20
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Time (mins)

Graph 2. Rate constant k2

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er as
y = mx + c

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y = 3.315x + 96.13

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slope = 3.315; as slope = K2 , therefore ;

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rs e
k2 = 3.315 dm-3.mol-1.min-1 at temperature 34.5oC
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Calculating activation energy :

ln (k2 / k1) = (-EA / R) . [ (1/T2) – (1 / T1) ] ; where R = 8.314 J K-1 mol-1

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T1 = 20.4 + 273.16 = 293.56oK

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T2 = 35 + 273.16 = 308.16oK
v i y re

EA = R x ln (k2 / k1) / [ (1/T2) – (1 / T1) ]

ed d

EA = 8.314 x ln (3.315 / 3.6036) / [ (1/308.16– 1/293.56)] = 4300.2 Jmol -1

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ERRORS

Instrument Minimum Graduation Innate Error Maximum Reading

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Burette 0.1 cm3 0.05 cm3 1 cm3

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Pipette (1) 0.1 ml 0.25 ml 50 ml

Pipette (2) 0.1 ml 0.025 ml 5 ml

Burette = (0.05 / 1) x 100 = 5.0 %

Pipette (1) = (0.25 / 50 ) x 100 = 0.5 %

Pipette (2) = (0.025 / 5 ) x 100 = 0.5 %

Both pipette have the same error and burette has an error of 5.0%. Therefore, the total error = 6%
However, it indicates that the greatest source of error comes from the burette.

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 DISCUSSION

K1 K2 EA
dm-3.mol-1.min-1 dm-3.mol-1.min-1 (Jmol-1 )
3.6036 3.315 4300.2

From the scattering of data of both graphs it is noticeable that there are some dodgy points, result of
inaccurate titrations or titrations were not stopped precisely, as can be seen in image 1.

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Image 1.

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It may have affect the result of the Activation Energy as the slope of the graph give us both K 1 and K2 values.

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Order of reaction describes the mathematical form in which the results of the changes can be demonstrated

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In this experiment it was determined the value of the order reaction between ethyl acetate and NaOH by
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titration method and its activation energy.
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The reaction is:
CH3COOC2H5 + OH- CH3COO- + C2H5OH
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This reaction is a second – order reaction.

aC s

When an acid and a base react with each other, a neutralization reaction occurs, forming a salt and water.
v i y re

The water forms from the combination of the H+ ions from the acid and the OH- ions from the base. Strong
acids and bases completely dissociate, so the reaction yields a solution with a neutral pH (pH = 7). Because of
the complete dissociation between strong acids and bases, if you're given a concentration of an acid or base,
you can determine the volume or quantity of the other chemical required to neutralize it.
ed d
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However, this statement can explain clearly why was added hydrochloric acid into the titration flasks to
neutralize sodium hydroxide, simply to neutralize sodium hydroxide.

Titrate accurately and carefully could be a great improvement for this experiment.
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REFERENCES

 http://www.academia.edu/15368813/reaction_rate_and_rate_constant_of_the_hydrolysis_of_ethyl_
acetate_with_sodium_hydroxide
 https://www.uv.es/idiqlab/labquimicos/documentos/art%C3%ADculo%20con%20la%20energ
%C3%ADa%20de%20activaci%C3%B3n%20de%20la%20reacci%C3%B3n.pdf

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