When methyl acetate is heated with concentrated sulfuric acid, the products are acetic acid and methanol. How did they react? I don't understand ~ there is also the difference between esterification a

When methyl acetate is heated with concentrated sulfuric acid, the products are acetic acid and methanol. How did they react? I don't understand ~ there is also the difference between esterification and hydrolysis ~ thank you! One is that concentrated sulfuric acid is used as catalyst for hydrolysis reaction, and the other is that concentrated sulfuric acid is used as catalyst and water absorbent for esterification reaction. Water decomposes into a hydrogen atom and a hydroxyl group, while methyl acetate decomposes at the lower "-". Then hydroxyl groups combine with acids to form acetic acid, and hydrogen atoms combine with alcohols to form methanol. This is the process of hydrolysis reaction.

CH3CO-OCH3+H-OH== concentrated H2SO4/δ = = ch3co-oh+ch3o-h

Esterification can only be carried out under the catalysis of concentrated sulfuric acid, while hydrolysis can be carried out under the catalysis of concentrated sulfuric acid or reverse hydrolysis with alkali. To a greater extent, the ester will be hydrolyzed into the corresponding alcohol and organic acid salt CH3Co-Och2CH3+NaOH = = CH3Coona+CH3H2OH under alkaline conditions.

Esterification reaction is that hydroxyl groups in carboxylic acid molecules combine with hydrogen atoms of hydroxyl groups in alcohol molecules to form water, and the rest combine with each other to form esters. Equivalent to the reverse process of hydrolysis reaction: ch3co-oh+ch3o-h = = ch3co-och3+h-oh.