when i add methyl salicylate to aqueous sodium hydroxide, immediately a white solid forms... that is sodium salicylate is it?? Since it hasn't been heating under reflux yet.

Answer 1

That's what I would think although I'm not an organic chemist. I don't know what else you will do to it but I suspect it will dissolve upon heating, especially of water is added since the sodium salt is soluble in water.
http://users.stlcc.edu/mhauser/Hyd%20Methyl%20Sal.pdf