Ethanol reacts with sodium metal to give
Correct answer: A. sodium ethoxide and hydrogen
- 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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About Alcohols
Alcohols contain a hydroxyl group attached to a saturated carbon atom and are classified as primary, secondary or tertiary. Their nomenclature, hydrogen bonding, acidity, oxidation, dehydration, reaction with sodium and conversion to haloalkanes are covered, along with the distinction between alcohols and phenols, where the hydroxyl group is attached directly to an aromatic ring.
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