If the large esters present in animal or vegetable fats and oils are heated with concentrated sodium hydroxide solution exactly the same reaction happens as with the simple esters. ... Because of its relationship with soap making, the alkaline hydrolysis of esters is sometimes known as saponification.

Are esters soluble in NaOH?

Which of these functional groups is soluble in aqueous HCl and/or NaOH? Functional groups don't have solubility. Their presence in a compound, however, can have an effect on solubility. My approach before was this : Esters do not dissolve in cold aqueous bases or acids, nor do amides or alcohols.

Do esters react with bases?

Esters can also be cleaved into a carboxylate and an alcohol through reaction with water and a base. The reaction is commonly called a saponification from the Latin sapo which means soap.