why ethyl butanoate hydrolyses less rapidly than methyl ethanoate

Dear sudha,

Ethyl butyrate, also known as ethyl butanoate, or butyric ether, is an ester with the chemical formula CH₃CH₂CH₂COOCH₂CH_3.

Hydrolysis is a reaction with water. That is exactly what happens when esters are hydrolysed by water or by dilute acids such as dilute hydrochloric acid.

The alkaline hydrolysis of esters actually involves reaction with hydroxide ions and ethyl butanoate takes less time comaparatively that's why its hydrolysis is quite rapid.

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Sagar Singh

B.Tech IIT Delhi