CH3CH2OH + Na = CH3CH2O-Na+ + H2 | Ethanol and Sodium Reaction
Ethanol, the most famous alcohol in organic chemistry reacts with sodium metal, and produce sodium ethoxide and hydrogen gas as products.
Alcohol and sodium metal reaction
Alcohols reacts with alkali metals such as sodium, potassium and produce alkoxide ion and hydrogen gas.
Alkoxide ion
An alkoxide is the conjugate base of an alcohol. Generally, alkoxide ion can be denoted by RO-. R is an alkyl group such as methyl, ethyl, propyl and more.
Alkoxide ion is a strong alkali
There is a negative charge on oxygen atom in the CH3CH2O-. So this can take H+ ion very easily to show strong basic characteristics.
Also akoxide ion are good nucleophiles and ligands.
This reaction is a redox reaction. Sodium is oxidized to sodium ion and acidic hydrogen atom of ethanol is reduced to hydrogen gas.
This reaction tells us, ethanol has acidic characteristicss and can behave as an acid. But remember, ethanol and other aliphatic alcohols do not react with aqueous NaOH.
Balanced equation of ethanol and sodium reaction
2CH3CH2OH + 2Na → 2CH3CH2O-Na+ + H2
Two moles of ethanol react with two moles of sodium to give one mol of hydrogen gas.
Ethoxide ion is more basic than hydroxyl ion.
As ethanol, methanol also reacts with sodium and produce sodium methoxide and hydrogen gas.
2CH3OH + 2Na → 2CH3O-Na+ + H2
As CH3OH + Na → CH3O-Na+ + H2 equation, can I write the equation as below.
C2H6O + Na → CH3O-Na+ + H2
No, this is wrong. Why? C2H6O is the common molecular formula for both ethanol and dimethyl ether. Dimethyl ether does not react with Na.
So, we do not know, what is expressed by C2H6O? whether CH3CH2OH or CH3OCH3
Identify alcohols from sodium reaction
But we cannot identify alcohols from some other organic compound types such as phenol, carboxylic acids and alkynes with acidic hydrogen atoms because they also react with sodium.
But, aldehydes and ketones can be identified from alcohols from reaction with sodium because aldehyes and ketones do not react with sodium.
reaction of ethanol with sodium can be caused to an explosion?
Look the reaction with their reactants and products. As a product, hydrogen gas is released. If hydrogen gas amount is large and have a chance to an ignition, there may be a huge explosion.
Is potassium and alcohol reaction similar to reaction of alcohol with sodium metal?
All reactive metals such as sodium, potassium react with alcohols and emoy hydrogen gas.
Which is more acidic phenol or ethanol?
You cannot decide which is more acidic from reaction with sodium because both phenol and ethanol react with sodium. But when considering reactions with aqueous NaOH, you can decide phenol is more acidic than aliphatic alcohols.
Phenol reacts with NaOH and produce sodium phenoxide and aliphatic alcohols do not react with NaOH.
What are the effects when CH3CH2-Na + is added to the water
It will give a strong basic solution and will show a greater pH value. CH3CH2- is the reason for this strong basic characteristic.
What will happen when sodium metal is added to the aqueous ethanol solution?
In this occasion, ethanol doe not exist as a pure compound. It is a mixture of two liquids, water and ethanol. You know sodium readily reacts with water and produce sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
Why this sodium and ethanol reaction is important?
This reaction can be used to produce ether. To produce ether, sodium ethanoate reacts with an alky halide.
what does ethanol behave like when it reacts with sodium
In this reaction, hydrogen gas is emitted. When metal reacts with something and emit hydrogen gas, we call it a metal - acid reaction.
Thereffore, sodium is the metal and ethanol behaves like an acid.
What is more acidic? water or ethanol
Ka value of ethanol is 1 * 10-16 mol dm-3. So ethanol is less acidic than water and sodium reacts with water first.
How ch3ch2oh + na and ch3cooh + na responds differently?
Both emit hydrogen gas give respective salts.
CH3CH2OH + Na → CH3CH2O-Na+ + H2
CH3COOH + Na → CH3COO-Na+ + H2
Why there is positive and negative charges on ch3ch2o-na+
Sodium is a very reactive metal and it forms +1 cation only (+1 ion). To represent +1 ion, we denote a + sign with Na.