Chemical Forums

Chemistry Forums for Students => Inorganic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: perchlorate on July 11, 2014, 11:06:30 AM

Title: Reaction of Sodium metal with acetonitrile
Post by: perchlorate on July 11, 2014, 11:06:30 AM

Hi,

I am a post grad student doing research currently. I deal with pure sodium metal cut into thin pieces (approximately 0.5cm by 0.5cm) and assemble them in half cells for testing. I am thinking of using acetonitrile as solvent for my electrolyte in my half cell but while dripping some acetonitrile on a piece of sodium metal in glovebox today, there appeared to be some black smoke fuming from the sodium piece and turned white thereafter. I did coloumetric titration tests and water content came back to be around 50 ppm. Hence i don't think its the water content but rather a reaction happening.

Any comments to this?

Thanks!

Best Regards,
Paul

Title: Re: Reaction of Sodium metal with acetonitrile
Post by: Hunter2 on July 11, 2014, 12:28:54 PM

Sodium is a strong reducer. Probably you get Cyanide and ethane.

2 CH₃CN + 2 Na => 2 NaCN + C₂H₆

Title: Re: Reaction of Sodium metal with acetonitrile
Post by: perchlorate on July 11, 2014, 10:47:57 PM

I see. Thanks for the reply! :)

Title: Re: Reaction of Sodium metal with acetonitrile
Post by: sjb on July 12, 2014, 02:54:25 AM

Quote from: Hunter2 on July 11, 2014, 12:28:54 PM

Sodium is a strong reducer. Probably you get Cyanide and ethane.

2 CH₃CN + 2 Na => 2 NaCN + C₂H₆

Maybe not that far, but I do know the alpha protons are quite acidic, so CH₃CN + Na  :rarrow: Na^{+ -}CH₂CN + ¹/₂H₂? Does the gas 'pop' with a burning split or similar