How do alcohols react with sodium?

Alcohols react with sodium to produce sodium alkoxide and hydrogen gas.

When an alcohol reacts with sodium, a displacement reaction occurs. This is because sodium, being a highly reactive metal, displaces the hydrogen atom in the alcohol molecule. The result of this reaction is the formation of a sodium alkoxide and the release of hydrogen gas.

Let's take an example of ethanol, a common alcohol, reacting with sodium. The chemical equation for this reaction is:

2CH3CH2OH + 2Na → 2CH3CH2ONa + H2

In this equation, CH3CH2OH represents ethanol, Na is sodium, CH3CH2ONa is sodium ethoxide (the sodium alkoxide), and H2 is hydrogen gas.

The reaction is highly exothermic, meaning it releases a lot of heat. This heat is enough to ignite the hydrogen gas that is produced, causing it to burn with a pop sound. This is a common test for the presence of alcohols in a substance.

It's important to note that this reaction is not suitable for all alcohols. Tertiary alcohols, for example, do not react with sodium. This is because the hydrogen atom that sodium needs to displace is not available in tertiary alcohols.

In summary, the reaction between alcohols and sodium is a displacement reaction that results in the formation of a sodium alkoxide and the release of hydrogen gas. It's a highly exothermic reaction and is a common test for the presence of alcohols. However, not all alcohols, such as tertiary alcohols, can undergo this reaction.