[balu]

Dear guys,

I read posts which mentioned the preparation of sodium ethoxide using ethanol and metallic sodium. But we can use sodium hydride or sodium borohydride for the same no. They are easy to handle than metallic sodium.

Please give me your suggestions.

Regards.
Balu

[dunno260]

You can use sodium hydride but sodium bicarbonate isn't a strong enough base to deprotonate an alcohol.

[AndersHoveland]

Actually sodium ethoxide can apparently be prepared from solid sodium hydroxide, and pure ethanol.

I have a picture:
https://7283909790793218369-a-1802744773732722657-s-sites.googlegroups.com/site/energeticchemical/organic-precursors/ethoxide.bmp?attachauth=ANoY7coKEOz5BuuyjwTswKnY9Tv8YbkKwyud6xeRSuH1J6EboU2dQjhXPPvwXD_Bq_R9YQHxUx2xuTTcdw741UJvxNNSnlWMjAOY6cdrL2kU3HPy-qwzOpVbmqNv3TetBSEOdmb1VKOrlaxknuBljun4mt-bsn_nyzuvS8ha4lPO46uQ75WJh3gmYUVoid4L87aZeX79W-QQikko9Fb2J_mRbc1bcN5go4_UiEaeBFF2KMfz0CC31rk%3D&attredirects=0

I would think that a better way would be to use CaO and Na2CO3 (with 90% conc alcohol) instead of NaOH.