HYDROLYSIS OF SEVERAL SUBSTITUTED METHYL BENZOATES IN THE AQUEOUS-SOLUTION

The hydrolysis of several ring substituted methyl benzoates was invest igated in aqueous solution over a pH range of 3-10. Both the pH depend ence (at pH > 5) and the variation of hydrolysis rates with ring subst itution are consistent with a mechanism involving the addition of hydr oxide ion to the ester carbonyl group. Extrapolation of the rate data to a pH and temperature that would be consistent with soil and groundw ater (pH 8, 10 degrees C) indicate that these esters could have hydrol ysis half lives from several months to several years in the environmen t.