INTRODUCTION

Zia-ul-Haq et al. (2014) defined the saponification reaction as the hydrolysis of an ester

with primary conditions to produce alcohol and the sodium salt of carboxylic acid. This term is

mainly used to identify reactions in the alkaline state with fat to convert into soap. So, ethyl

acetate's hydrolysis to produce the sodium salt of acetic acid (NaOAc) and ethyl alcohol with

caustic soda is called a saponification reaction, but even though the final product was not soap.

Saponification can be defined as a "hydration reaction where free hydroxide breaks the ester

bonds between the fatty acids and glycerol of a triglyceride, resulting in free fatty acids and

glycerol," which are each soluble in aqueous solutions (Developments in Surface Contamination

and Cleaning, 2015). Triglycerides are generally animal fats and vegetable oils. When they are

reacted with sodium hydroxide, a hard form of soap is created. This is where potassium comes

and makes a softer version of the soap. The general equation can be written as:
 Naturally occurring esters of long straight-chain carboxylic acids are fats, oils, and

waxes. This belongs to the group of lipids that can be saponified. Lipids are relatively insoluble

in the water yet soluble in organic solvents such as benzene, chloroform, acetone, ether, and the

like that are biologically generated. Saponifiable lipids contain an ester group termed

saponification and react with the hot solution of sodium hydroxide undergoing hydrolysis. A

hydrolysis reaction happens as the lipids react in a hot NaOH solution, and it comprises the ester

group. And otherwise, if there is no reaction, it is non-saponifiable and has no group of esters.

Steroids, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes do not contain ester group lipids, whereas proteins,

fats, waxes, and phospholipids are part of the ester group lipids.

Saponification is the hydrolysis of fats or oils to produce glycerol and the salt of the

resulting fatty acid under primary conditions. Saponification means soap making. Knowing the

amount of free fatty acid present is essential to the industrial consumer, as this determines the

refining loss to a large degree. By determining the quantity of alkali that must be applied to the

fat to keep it inert, the amount of free fatty acid is determined. This is achieved by heating a

known quantity of fat with a strong solution of aqueous caustic soda that transforms the free fatty

acid into soap. This soap is then discarded, and the remaining amount of fat is then calculated.

The loss is determined by subtracting this number from the quantity of fat initially taken for the

evaluation.

Soaps are made from a natural source. Triglycerides (or fatty acid esters) are the raw

material for soap processing. In plants and animals, triglycerides are commonly found. The
principal fatty materials in soap production in the United States are tallow and coconut oil. In

many other parts of the world, palm oil, palm kernel oil, and their derivatives are used in soap

production. Greases derived from hogs and smaller domestic animals are the second primary

source of fatty acid glycerides. In soapmaking, coconut oil has long been essential. The coconut

oil soap is firm and is well lathered. It contains a significant volume of the lauric and myric acid

glycerides desired.

The reaction in alkaline conditions is called Saponification (Bursali, Ertunc, and Akay

2006). The hydrolysis of ethyl acetate with sodium hydroxide to produce ethanol and sodium

acetate is known as a saponification reaction. The end products of saponification reaction (i. e.,

sodium acetate, and ethanol) are used in various fields, such as petroleum, textile, cosmetics, and

paint industries. It is used in the textile industry to remove insoluble calcium salts; in the paint

industry. It is also used to intensify colors. In addition, it is used in the food industry as a tampon

and protector. Saponification plays a very significant role in hemodialysis. In the leather

industry, it is used in the neutralization of mineral acids. The hydrolysis of ethyl acetate is

characterized by a model of second-order reaction (Kapoor 2004). Ethyl acetate saponification

reaction has been studied by other researchers using various techniques (Daniels et al., 1941;

Schneider and Stoessel, 2005). A very mild and fast saponification method has been established,

utilizing dichloromethane/methanol (9:1) as a solvent with low NaOH concentration at room

temperature (Theodorou et al. 2007).

 The study's objectives were first to analyze the reactant and products for a saponification

reaction by titration. Second, to gain familiarity with the analytical procedure in establishing the

extent of reaction from concentration measurements. Lastly, to determine the rate constant for

the saponification reaction of ethyl acetate with sodium hydroxide. Factors that determine the

rate of reaction are as follow: Availability of reactants and their surface area. The greater the

surface area of a solid, the greater the rate of reaction. Concentration: increase in concentration

increase the rate of reaction. Pressure: rise in pressure results in an increase in reaction rate if the

reactants and products are gaseous. Catalyst: The presence of a catalyst generally increases the

rate of reaction. There are, however, negative catalysts that lower the rate of reactions.

Temperature: increase in the temperature increase rate of reaction.