The product "A" in the following reaction is `: CH_(3)-CO-CH_(2)COOC_(2)H_(5)underset( H_(2)O)overset( NaOH) ( rarr) A`

Options

A. `CH_(3)COOH`
B. `C_(2)H_(5)OH`
C. `CH_(3)COCH_(3)`
D. `C_(2)H_(5)CHO`

Answer

To solve the problem, we need to analyze the reaction step by step. The given reaction involves a carbonyl compound reacting with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in the presence of water. The compound is CH3-CO-CH2-COOC2H5.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
The reactant is CH3-CO-CH2-COOC2H5, which is a β-keto ester (specifically, ethyl acetoacetate).

2. **Nucleophilic Attack**:
In the presence of NaOH, the hydroxide ion (OH-) acts as a nucleophile. It attacks the carbonyl carbon (C=O) of the ester group (COOC2H5). This forms a tetrahedral intermediate.

3. **Formation of Carboxylic Acid**:
The tetrahedral intermediate collapses, leading to the elimination of the ethoxy group (C2H5O-) and forming a carboxylic acid (CH3-CO-CH2-COOH).

4. **Deprotonation**:
The ethoxide ion (C2H5O-) generated from the previous step acts as a base and deprotonates the carboxylic acid (CH3-CO-CH2-COOH), resulting in the formation of the carboxylate ion (CH3-CO-CH2-COO-).

5. **Decarboxylation**:
The carboxylate ion undergoes decarboxylation, where carbon dioxide (CO2) is released. This results in the formation of a ketone (CH3-CO-CH2-).

6. **Final Product Formation**:
The remaining structure is CH3-CO-CH2-, which can then react with water (H2O) to form acetone (CH3-CO-CH3) by taking a hydrogen from the water molecule.

### Final Products:
The final products of the reaction are:
- Acetone (CH3-CO-CH3)
- Ethanol (C2H5OH)

### Conclusion:
The product "A" in the reaction is acetone (CH3-CO-CH3).