CHEMISTRY

JAMB 2004 - Question 49

Chemistry 2004 JAMB Past Questions - Question 49: Alkanol + Alkanoic acid ↔ Ester + Water. The reverse reaction of the equation above is known as

Choose the correct answers from the options given.
Alkanol + Alkanoic acid ↔ Ester + Water. The reverse reaction of the equation above is known as
A:
B:
C:
D:
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Correct Answer

B

Explanation

The reverse reaction of the equation you provided is known as saponification. Saponification is the hydrolysis of an ester, such as the one formed in the forward reaction (Alkanol + Alkanoic acid → Ester + Water), to yield the original alcohol (alkanol) and carboxylic acid (alkanoic acid). In saponification, the ester reacts with water under acidic or basic conditions to break the ester bond, producing the alcohol and carboxylic acid. This process is often used in the production of soap, where fats (triglycerides) undergo saponification to form soap molecules.