Saponification Reaction of Ethyl Acetate
Saponification reaction of ethyl acetate
Original
Ethyl acetate is mixed with sodium hydroxide solution, and the two undergo a saponification reaction to produce sodium acetate and ethanol. In this reaction, ethyl acetate gradually decreases, and the reaction process can be tracked by measuring the change in the conductivity of the system. Because sodium hydroxide is a strong electrolyte in the reaction system, the conductivity of the system is high. As the reaction proceeds, sodium acetate gradually replaces sodium hydroxide, and the conductivity of sodium acetate is lower than that of sodium hydroxide, so the conductivity of the system gradually decreases.

Translation
When ethyl acetate is mixed with sodium hydroxide solution, a saponification reaction occurs between them, producing sodium acetate and ethanol. In this reaction, ethyl acetate gradually decreases. By measuring the changes in the conductivity of the system, the progress of the reaction can be traced. In the reaction system, sodium hydroxide is a strong electrolyte with a relatively high conductivity. As the reaction proceeds, sodium acetate gradually replaces sodium hydroxide. Since the conductivity of sodium acetate is lower than that of sodium hydroxide, the conductivity of the system gradually decreases.

Principle Explanation
The chemical equation for this saponification reaction is: $CH_3COOC_2H_5 + NaOH\ longrightarrow CH_3COONa + C_2H_5OH $. The reason why the reaction can be monitored by the change of conductivity is because the type and concentration of conductive ions in the solution change before and after the reaction. Sodium hydroxide is completely ionized, and its ion migration rate is fast, which contributes a lot to the conductivity. Although the generated sodium acetate is also ionized, the migration rate of acetate ions is less than that of hydroxide ions, resulting in a decrease in the conductivity of the solution. According to this characteristic, the conductivity of the solution at different times can be measured with the help of a conductivity meter, and important kinetic parameters such as reaction rate constants can be obtained after relevant data processing.

Experimental application
In actual chemical experiments and industrial production, the study of the saponification reaction of ethyl acetate is of great significance. At the experimental level, it is a typical example of studying the kinetics of chemical reactions, which helps students understand the kinetic principles and experimental methods. In industry, through in-depth exploration of this reaction, the production process of ester hydrolysis can be optimized, and the yield and quality of the product can be improved. For example, in the synthesis of some fragrances, the degree of saponification reaction of esters needs to be precisely controlled to ensure the pure aroma and stable quality of the product.