Kinetic study of specific base catalyzed hydrolysis of ethyl acrylate in water-ethanol binary system

Kinetic study of hydroxide anion catalyzed hydrolysis of ethyl acrylate has been carried in ethanol-water (10–50% v/v) binary systems at the temperature range 30 ± 0.1, 35 ± 0.1, 40 ± 0.1, and 45 ± 0.1°C. Calculated specific rate constant values decreases with increasing proportion of ethanol at all temperatures. The observed retardation of a base catalyzed hydrolysis reaction is explained on the basis of fact that the formation of polarized transition state is disfavored with increase in % of ethanol. The relation between the change in dielectric constant due to variation in binary mixtures and change in specific rate constant are explained on the basis of electrostatic and non electrostatic contributions of solvent mixtures. The variation of ΔG*, ΔH*, ΔS* with solvent composition and the specific effect of water on the reaction rate kinetics are also discussed.