Question

Give a reason for the following:

Ethoxy ethane does not react with sodium, but ethanol does.

Answer 1

Ethyl alcohol reacts with sodium metal due to the presence of an active hydrogen atom. In contrast, diethyl ether cannot react with sodium metal because it lacks a replacement hydrogen atom.

\[\ce{\underset{Ethyl alcohol}{2CH3CH2OH} + 2Na -> 2CH3CH2ONa + H2}\]

\[\ce{\underset{Diethyl ether}{(CH3CH2)2O} + Na -> No reaction}\]