1. Tardigrade
  2. Question
  3. Chemistry
  4. The alkane formed on heating sodium butanoate with sodalime is

Question Error Report

Thank you for reporting, we will resolve it shortly

Back to Question

Q. The alkane formed on heating sodium butanoate with sodalime is

MHT CETMHT CET 2019

Solution:

The alkane formed on heating sodium butanoate with sodalime is propane. In this reaction, the product contains one carbon atom less than the carboxylic acid. This process of elimination of carbon dioxide from a carboxylic acid is known as decarboxylation.

$\ce{\underset{Sodium \, butanoate}{CH3CH2CH2COO- Na^{-}} + NaOH ->[{CaO}][{\Delta}] \underset{Propane}{CH3CH2CH3} + Na2CO3}$