How will you convert ethanoic acid into methane? Explain with the help of equations of the reactions involved.

Explanation

To convert ethanoic acid (CH₃COOH) into methane (CH₄), we can follow a two-step process involving the formation of sodium acetate (CH₃COONa) as an intermediate. Below are the detailed steps along with the chemical equations involved:

### Step 1: Formation of Sodium Acetate
1. **React Ethanoic Acid with Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH)**:
- Ethanoic acid, which contains a carboxylic acid group, reacts with sodium hydroxide, a strong base.
- In this reaction, the hydroxide ion (OH⁻) from NaOH abstracts a proton (H⁺) from the carboxylic acid group of ethanoic acid.
- This results in the formation of sodium acetate (CH₃COONa) and water (H₂O).

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