Sodium Ethylate

Name:
Sodium Ethylate
Detailed information:

Chemistry name:	sodium ethoxide; caustic alcohol
M Formula:	C2H5ONa
Properties:
White powder, sometimes having brownish tinge; readily hydrolyzes to alcohol and sodium hydroxide.
Derivation:
By carefully adding small amounts of sodium to absolute alcohol kept at a temperature of 10C, heating carefully to 37.7C, again carefully adding sodium, cooling to 10C, and adding the same quantity of absolute alcohol as was used originally.
Hazard:
As for caustic soda, ethanol. Sodium hydroxide is formed when sodium ethylate is exposed to moisture.
Use:
Organic synthesis.

See Sodium Hydroxide.