Ace the CIE Chemistry AS Level Exam 2026 – Unleash Your Inner Scientist!

Ester hydrolysis adds water to the ester and breaks the C–O bond, separating the molecule into two parts: the acyl (carbonyl) portion becomes a carboxylic acid (or carboxylate salt under basic conditions), and the other alkyl part becomes an alcohol. That means the typical products are an alcohol and a carboxylic acid (or its salt), not an aldehyde, ether, ketone, or anything else. Under acidic conditions the carboxyl product is the free acid; under basic conditions you’d get the carboxylate salt, but the alcohol and the carboxylate pair is still the outcome.