The standard laboratory decarboxylation of sodium salts of carboxylic acids to yield alkanes utilize — Aldehydes Ketones and Carboxylic Acids Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Soda lime is a critical decarboxylating reagent prepared by intimately mixing Sodium Hydroxide ($NaOH$) and Calcium Oxide ($CaO$) in a fixed 3:1 ratio by mass/moles. It allows decarboxylation to proceed smoothly upon heating, converting $R-COONa$ into $R-H$ + $Na_2CO_3$.