What is the mass (in grams) of the hydrocarbon formed when 0.5 moles of sodium adipate is heated strongly with an excess of soda lime?

Step-by-step solution

Sodium adipate is the sodium salt of adipic acid, having the chemical formula NaOOC-(CH ₂ ) ₄ -COONa . When sodium adipate is heated strongly with an excess of soda lime (a mixture of NaOH and CaO ), it undergoes decarboxylation. Both carboxylate groups are removed as sodium carbonate, and hydrogen atoms replace them to form an alkane. The reaction is: NaOOC-(CH ₂ ) ₄ -COONa + 2 NaOH CaO, CH ₃ -CH ₂ -CH ₂ -CH ₃ + 2 Na ₂ CO ₃ The hydrocarbon formed is butane ( C ₄ H ₁₀ ). The molar mass of butane is 4 12 + 10 1 = 58