The hydrolysis of ethylmethanoate is slow in
beginning and becomes faster after some time as it
is autocatalysed by

Options

A. Methanol
B. Ethanol
C. Methanoic acid
D. Ethanoic acid

Answer

To solve the question regarding the hydrolysis of ethyl methanoate and its autocatalysis, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Hydrolysis of Esters**:
- Hydrolysis of an ester involves the reaction of the ester with water to produce an acid and an alcohol. The general reaction can be represented as:
\[ RCOOR' + H_2O \rightarrow RCOOH + R'OH \]
- In this case, ethyl methanoate (HCOOC2H5) will hydrolyze to form methanoic acid (HCOOH) and ethanol (C2H5OH).

2. **Identifying the Products**:
- When ethyl methanoate undergoes hydrolysis:
\[ HCOOC2H5 + H_2O \rightarrow HCOOH + C2H5OH \]
- The products are methanoic acid (HCOOH) and ethanol (C2H5OH).

3. **Understanding Autocatalysis**:
- Autocatalysis occurs when one of the products of a reaction acts as a catalyst for that same reaction. In this case, methanoic acid, which is formed during the hydrolysis, can act as a catalyst.
- Initially, the reaction is slow because there are no products to catalyze it. As methanoic acid is produced, it increases the rate of the reaction by providing H+ ions, which facilitate further hydrolysis.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Since methanoic acid is produced during the hydrolysis of ethyl methanoate and acts as a catalyst for the reaction, it is the autocatalyst in this process.
- Therefore, the correct answer to the question is **option C: methanoic acid**.