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How do chemists make alkoxide from alcohol?

Answer 1

Conveniently by addition of the alkali metal to the alcohol.

Potassium can be added to solutions (approximately 25% IPA) in toluene without risk; however, potassium should not be added to NEAT alcohol. Lithium and sodium can be added to the alcohol to produce hydrogen gas and alcoholic metal alkoxide for both methanol and ethanol.

The alkali metal's reaction with water is exactly analogous to the rxn:

#M(s) + HOR rarr M^(+)""^(-)OR +1/2H_2(g)uarr#

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Answer 2

Carter Allen

Chemists make alkoxides from alcohols by reacting the alcohol with a strong base, such as sodium or potassium hydroxide. This reaction, known as alcohol deprotonation, results in the removal of a proton (H+) from the alcohol molecule, forming the corresponding alkoxide ion.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.