Monday, January 28, 2008

IIT JEE Revision Preparation of Alkanes by Decarboxilation

Decarboxylation reaction

When sodium salt of a monocarboxylic acid is heated with soda lime (a mixture of NaOH and Cao in the ratio of 3:1) at about 630 K, alkane is formed.

RCOONa + NaOH -->RH + Na2CO3

In this reaction a CO2 group is removed from carboxylic acid and therefore the reaction is called decarboxylation.

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