Spontaneous hydrolysis of ethyl formate: Isobaric activation parameters

Abstract

Ethyl formate undergoes spontaneous autocatalytic hydrolysis via water catalyzed (neutral), as well as hydrogen-ion catalyzed mechanisms. The activation parameters for the neutral reaction are ΔH‡ = 91 ± 8 kJ/mol and ΔS‡ = −48 ± 8 J K−1/mol. This result is in contrast to the values reported in the hydrolyses of the more polar activated haloesters. The specific rate of neutral hydrolysis of ethyl acetate can also be predicted. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 67–71, 2000