Saponification

Name:
Saponification
Detailed information:
The chemical reaction in which an ester is heated with aqueous alkali such as sodium hydroxide to form an alcohol (usually glycerol) and the sodium salt of the acid corresponding to the ester. The process is usually carried out on fats (glyceryl esters of fatty acids). The sodium salt formed is called a soap. A typical saponification reaction is(C₁₇H₃₅COO)₃C₃H₅ + 3NaOH → 3C₁₇H₃₅COONa + C₃H₅(OH)₃.See Soap.