Acid Catalyzed Hydrolysis of Esters (II)

Introduction

Esters can be cleaved back into a carboxylic acid and an alcohol by reaction with water and a catalytic amount of acid.

General Reaction

Example 1:

Mechanism

1) Protonation of the Carbonyl

2) Nucleophilic attack by water

3) Proton transfer

4) Leaving group removal

Contributors

Prof. Steven Farmer (Sonoma State University)