Final answer:
The base catalyzed hydrolysis of a five-carbon ester, such as pentyl acetate, involves breaking the ester bond to form the sodium salt of the acid and an alcohol.
Step-by-step explanation:
To show the base catalyzed hydrolysis of an ester containing five carbon atoms, you need to identify a five-carbon ester and then write the chemical equation showing its reaction with a base, such as NaOH. Here's an example using pentyl acetate, which is an ester with a five-carbon chain:
- First, write the molecular formula for pentyl acetate: CH3COOC5H11.
- Then, write the equation for its base catalyzed hydrolysis: CH3COOC5H11 + NaOH → CH3COONa + C5H11OH
In this reaction, the ester bond is broken, and the products are the sodium salt of the acid (sodium acetate, in this case) and the alcohol (pentanol).