Preparation of sodim ethoxide

[ramadanhany]

Hi all,

I wish if I can find an experimentalist who can answer this question. I am physical chemist who would like to prepare sodium ethoxide from sodium and ethanol. my question is how to handle sodium (clean, prevent it from burning...etc) before I add it to ethanol?

 

 

Thanks

 

 

Hany

[insane_alien]

keep it in mineral oil, avoid exposure to air, clean it before you chuck it in and if you get a fire don't chuck water over it. pretty much common sense.

[D.Lickerson]

I'd probably spay it off with some ether to clean the mineral oil off and then chunk it in

[John Cuthber]

This prep gives a good set of instructions but a practical chemistry textbook would be better.

http://www.orgsyn.org/orgsyn/prep.asp?prep=cv3p0016

They do say they have some maintainance scheduled so you may find the site's down. Try again later.

Also they may want you to log into their site- don't worry it's pretty painless.

[DrDNA]

Why would you want to go to the trouble of preparing it when you can just buy it (eg sigma aldrich)?