How do you prepare alkoxide?

1 Answer
anor277
Aug 29, 2016

Treat the parent alcohol with an alkali metal; alternatively, treat it with a lithium reagent.

Explanation:

#ROH(l) + Na(s) rarr RO^(-)Na^(+) + 1/2H_2(g) uarr#

This will work for methanol and ethanol.

Alternatively,

#ROH + Bu^(-)Li^+ rarr RO^(-)Li^+ + BuH(g) uarr#

These alkali metal alkoxides usually have to be sublimed (twice!) to give the advertized reagent as pure materials.

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