The acidic hydrolysis of butyl acetate produces carboxylic acid

butyl acetate, which is hydrolyzed in an acidic environment. The hydrolysis reaction of butyl acetate in contact with water is catalyzed by acid, and the molecular bonds are broken and rearranged.

butyl acetate ($C_ {6} H_ {12} O_ {2} $), the structure contains ester groups. During acidic hydrolysis, the carbon-oxygen single bond in the ester group is broken. Water participates in the reaction, and the hydrogen atom in the water molecule is connected to the oxygen atom where the ester group is disconnected, and the hydroxyl group is connected to the disconnected carbon atom.

Through this reaction, the carboxylic acid, that is, acetic acid ($CH_ {3} COOH $), is obtained, and butanol ($C_ {4} H_ {9} OH $) is formed at the same The chemical equation of this reaction is: $CH_ {3} COOC_ {4} H_ {9} + H_ {2} O\ xrightleftharpoons [{\ triangle}] {H ^ {+}} CH_ {3} COOH + C_ {4} H_ {9} OH $.

This reaction is a reversible reaction. In practice, in order to move the reaction towards the formation of carboxylic acids, the amount of water is often increased, or the product acetic acid and butanol are separated in time to increase the yield of carboxylic acids.