Question

What is the white solid that quickly forms when the methyl salicylate is added to the sodium hydroxide solution? Why would it be a white solid and NOT soluble?

- I know that it is a sodium salt (sodium 2-(methoxycarbonyl)phenolate that then forms disodium salicylate) but I can't figure out the "why?"

Why does the initially formed white solid disappear?Explain what is chemically happening.  

Answer 1

When the methyl salicylate was added to the sodium hydroxide solution, a white precipitate forms.

It is Sodium methyl salicylate is simply the sodium salt of methy salicylate ester. In this salt, the ester functional group is still there but hydrogen from the OH group in the ester is replaced by Na. This is based on an acid-base reaction

When the precipitate was there, the solutions was completely transparent. The ester is then hydrolysed to form sodium salicylate and methanol.