Ethanol reacts with sodium metal to give
- A. sodium ethoxide and hydrogen
- B. sodium ethanoate and water
- C. ethene and sodium hydroxide
- D. no reaction at all
Explanation
The hydroxyl hydrogen is weakly acidic, so sodium displaces it to give an ionic alkoxide and hydrogen gas, though the reaction is far gentler than that of sodium with water because an alcohol is a weaker acid. The steady effervescence without ignition is a useful test for a hydroxyl group in a dry sample. Alkoxides are strong bases and are hydrolysed by water back to the alcohol.
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