Assignment:
The high temperature pulping/digesting of wood generates methanoic, ethanoic, benzoic, and butanoic acids in solution. It is believed that under higher temperatures, these organic acids volatilize to their aldehyde or alcohol equivalents such as methanol, formaldehyde, benzene, butane etc. etc.
It has been suggested that carbonate chemistry will effectively neutralize these volatile organic acids and render the equilibrium product non-volatile.
Could you explain why carbonate, specifically sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) would be particularly good at neutralizing these acids and their conjugate bases?
What would be the balanced neutralization/equilibrium equations for each of these acids in water plus sodium carbonate?
Provide complete and step by step solution for the question and show calculations and use formulas.