Rates of alkaline hydrolysis of n-alkyl acetates CH3 (CH2) n0COCH3 (n= 2-8, 11), their tert- butyl derivatives (CH 3) 3 C (CH2) nOCOCH3(n= 1-4), trimethylsilyl derivatives (CH3) 3Si (CH2) n. OCOCH 3 (n= 1-6), and trimethylgermyl derivatives (CH3hGe (CH2) nOCOCH3 (n= 1-4) were measured. Kinetic data were interpreted in terms of predominant steric effect of the alkoxy group.