[vhpk]

What is the difference between the reactivity of 2 compounds
Sodium methoxide and sodium t-butoxide with 1-bromopropane
I think Sodium methoxide take part in subsutition and sodium t-butoxide take part in elemination reaction

[edit: changed title to be more descriptive -Yggdrasil]

[Redsea]

I think that's true

[Yggdrasil]

I agree, but do yo know the reason why?

[vhpk]

I don't know, maybe because of the structure, the base property of sodium t-butoxide is stronger, so it is more suitable for elemination reaction, is that true

[Yggdrasil]

The answer has to do with sterics.  t-butoxide is a very bulky and has trouble acting as a nucleophile in substitution reactions.  Protons, however, are more easily accessible, so it tends to act as a base instead and to promote elimination.