1962 Mechanism Organic Reaction Methanol

A thorough study of the hydrolysis of an organic ester, methyl benzoate, shows that the discovery of a reaction mechanism includes a determination of the chemical equation, the structures of the reactants and products, the fate of each atom of the reactants, and the structures of the intermediate molecules. The concepts of bond polarity and the effect of varying the structure of the ester also provide valuable hints. The use of oxygen18 and its detection on a mass spectrometer provide critical experimental data for the mechanism of the hydroxidecatalyzed hydrolysis of methyl benzoate.