EXPERIMENT 9

TOPIC:

Reaction Kinetics

PURPOSE: To investigate the hydrolysis of

methyl ethanoate
MATERIALS:
KA 1 is 0.5 mol dm3 Hydrochloric acid
KA 2 is aqueous sodium hydroxide of
concentration 4.0 g dm3
KA 3 is methyl ethanoate
Distilled water
Phenolphthalein
Ice water
APPARATUS:

One 50 cm3 burette

One retort stand and clamp
Three 250 cm3 titration flasks
One 10 cm3 graduated pipette and pipette
filler
One 10 cm3 measuring cylinder
One 50 cm3 measuring cylinder
One 250 cm3 conical flask
One stopwatch
One white tile
One wash bottle filled with distilled water

PROCEDURE:

1
100
cm3 of
KA1
(HCl)

250 ml

2
5 cm3
of KA3
(ester)
250 ml

100
cm3 of
KA1

When about half of

KA3 have been
added, start the
stopwatch.
Shake
flask
gently.
5.0 cm3 of solution
is pipetted
immediately from
this conical flask
transferred to
another clean
conical flask
containing 100 cm3
of ice water.

The time when half of the sample in the

pipette has been transferred is noted (x).
Two drops of phenolphthalein is added when
all of the 5.0 cm3 is transferred, and this
solution is titrated immediately with solution
KA2. The results are recorded in the table.
a) The procedure in the second paragraph
above is repeated for sample 2, 3 and 4
withdrawn from the 250 cm3 conical flask in
the specific time intervals of 10, 20 and 30
minutes respectively. All the results are
recorded in the table.
b) Procedure (a) in the first paragraph is
repeated, but solution KA1 is substituted
with distilled water to prepare sample 5. The
procedure in the second paragraph is
repeated for sample 5 after 30 minutes have
elapsed.

RESULTS: (d) Record and complete your

readings in the table below.
Sample
Time of
transferring
sample /
minute
Final reading /
cm3
Initial reading /
cm3
Volume of KA2 /
cm3

1
x

10.0 20.0 30.0 30.0

QUESTIONS:
e) Write a balanced equation for the
hydrolysis of methyl ethanoate.
CH3COOCH3 + H2O
CH3COOH
+
H

CH3OH
f) What is the purpose of titrating the sample
of reaction mixture with KA2?
To determine the volume of ethanoic acid
produced from the hydrolysis of methyl
ethanoate.
g) Plot a graph showing how the volume of
KA2 used in the titration varies with time.

Please refer to the graph of Volume of KA2

(cm3) over time (minute).
h) Why was the sample of reaction mixture
added to 100 cm3 of ice water before
titration?
To stop the hydrolysis of methyl ethanoate so
that the amount of ethanoic acid formed at a
specific time can be determined.
i) Using the same axes as in (g), sketch an
expected graph for the hydrolysis of the
ester conducted at the same temperature but
with 0.1 mol dm3 ethanoic acid. Explain your
answer.
When the hydrolysis of the ester is
conducted at the same temperature but with
0.1 mol dm3 ethanoic acid, the product
(ethanoic acid) formed is clearly reduced.
According to le Chateliers principle, when
the concentration of a reactant increases,
the equilibrium position will shift in the
direction
that
tends
to
reduce
the
concentration of the reactant. Therefore,
when ethanoic acid is added, the equilibrium
position will shift to the left to reduce the
concentration of ethanoic acid. This accounts
for the small volume of sodium hydroxide
needed to neutralize the acid.

j) Based on the results of the experiments for

samples 4 and 5, state the role of
hydrochloric acid in the experiments.
Hydrochloric acid provides hydrogen ions to
catalyse the hydrolysis of methyl ethanoate.
In sample 5 where H+ ions are absent, the
reaction is very slow in comparison with
sample 4.

CONCLUSION:
The hydrolysis of methyl ethanoate is
catalysed by hydrogen ions (H+).

RESULTS: (d) Record and complete your

readings in the table below.
Sample
Time of
transferring
sample /
minute
Final reading /
cm3
Initial reading /
cm3
Volume of KA2 /
cm3

4
30.0

10.0 20.0

5
30.0

QUESTIONS:
e) Write a balanced equation for the
hydrolysis of methyl ethanoate.
CH3COOCH3 + H2O
CH3COOH
H
+

CH3OH
f) What is the purpose of titrating the sample
of reaction mixture with KA2?
To determine the volume of ethanoic acid
produced from the hydrolysis of methyl
ethanoate.
g) Plot a graph showing how the volume of
KA2 used in the titration varies with time.

Please refer to the graph of Volume of KA2

(cm3) over time (minute).
h) Why was the sample of reaction mixture
added to 100 cm3 of ice water before
titration?
To stop the hydrolysis of methyl ethanoate so
that the amount of ethanoic acid formed at a
specific time can be determined.
i) Using the same axes as in (g), sketch an
expected graph for the hydrolysis of the
ester conducted at the same temperature but
with 0.1 mol dm3 ethanoic acid. Explain your
answer.
When the hydrolysis of the ester is
conducted at the same temperature but with
0.1 mol dm3 ethanoic acid, the product
(ethanoic acid) formed is clearly reduced.
According to le Chateliers principle, when
the concentration of a reactant increases,
the equilibrium position will shift in the
direction
that
tends
to
reduce
the
concentration of the reactant. Therefore,
when ethanoic acid is added, the equilibrium
position will shift to the left to reduce the
concentration of ethanoic acid. This accounts
for the small volume of sodium hydroxide
needed to neutralize the acid.

j) Based on the results of the experiments for

samples 4 and 5, state the role of
hydrochloric acid in the experiments.
Hydrochloric acid provides hydrogen ions to
catalyse the hydrolysis of methyl ethanoate.
In sample 5 where H+ ions are absent, the
reaction is very slow in comparison with
sample 4.

CONCLUSION:
The hydrolysis of methyl ethanoate is
catalysed by hydrogen ions (H+).