saponification

Saponification is a process of cleaving esters into carboxylate salts and alcohols by the action of aqueous alkali. Typically aqueous sodium hydroxide solutions are used. It is an important type of alkaline hydrolysis. When the carboxylate is a long chain, its salt is called a soap. The saponification of ethyl acetate gives sodium acetate and ethanol:

== Saponification of fats == Vegetable oils and animal fats are the traditional materials that are saponified. These greasy materials, triesters called triglycerides, are usually mixtures derived from diverse fatty acids. In the traditional saponification, the triglyceride is treated with lye, which cleaves the ester bonds, releasing fatty acid salts (soaps) and glycerol. In one simplified version, the saponification of stearin gives sodium stearate.