kolbe's electrolysis

Question

Kolbe's electrolysis of sodium acetate produces:

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

**Kolbe's Electrolytic Method** prepares alkanes from sodium or potassium salts of carboxylic acids.
- Process: Electrolysis of an aqueous solution of the salt.
- **Reaction at Anode**: Acetate ion ($CH_3COO^-$) loses an electron to form an acetate radical, which decarboxylates into a **methyl radical ($CH_3^.$)**. Two methyl radicals combine to form **Ethane** ($C_2H_6$).
$2CH_3COO^- - 2e^- 	o 2CH_3COO^. 	o 2CH_3^. + 2CO_2 \uparrow$
$CH_3^. + CH_3^. 	o CH_3-CH_3$
- Hydrogen gas is liberated at the cathode.

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kolbe's electrolysis

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