1. Tardigrade
  2. Question
  3. Chemistry
  4. Sodium salts of carboxylic acids on heating with soda lime give alkanes containing than the carboxylic acid.

Question Error Report

Thank you for reporting, we will resolve it shortly

Back to Question

Q. Sodium salts of carboxylic acids on heating with soda lime give alkanes containing_______ than the carboxylic acid.

Hydrocarbons

Solution:

Sodium salts of carboxylic acids on heating with soda lime (mixture of sodium hydroxide and calcium oxide) give alkanes containing one carbon atom less than the carboxylic acid. This process of elimination of carbon dioxide from a carboxylic acid is known as decarboxylation
$\underset{\text{Sodium ethanoate}}{CH_3COO^-Na^+} + NaOH \xrightarrow[\Delta]{CaO} \underset{\text{Methane}}{CH_4 + Na_2CO_3}$