The hydrolysis of an ester proceeds most slowly under the conditions of:

Explanation

An ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group (−OH) is replaced by an alkoxy group (−O−R). The hydrolysis of esters is catalyzed by either an acid or a base. The first step involved in this reaction is the breakage of the C=O bond . In case of an acid, the proton from the acid attacks on it and breaks it and in case of base, a hydroxide ion attacks and forms a new species. In a neutral solution, there is no species to break the bond. Thus, in a neutral solution, the hydrolysis is too slow, and as a result, it is normally avoided.