Here's why:

* Benzocaine is an ester, specifically ethyl 4-aminobenzoate. It doesn't have any acidic protons that would react with the carbonate ions in the solution.

* Sodium carbonate is a base, but it's not strong enough to deprotonate benzocaine.

* Gas evolution typically occurs when an acid reacts with a base to produce a gas like carbon dioxide (CO2) or hydrogen (H2).

Therefore, adding sodium carbonate to benzocaine will not result in a gas being released. Instead, you might observe some slight changes in the solution's appearance or pH, but no gas formation will occur.