Question #76b00

1 Answer
Oct 18, 2015

tert-butoxide ((CH_3)_3C-O^-(CH3)3CO), sodium ion (Na^+Na+) and elemental hydrogen (H_2H2).

Explanation:

This is the reduction reaction of a tertiary alcohol by sodium, the proposed mechanism is as depicted in the following scheme.

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The products of this reaction are: tert-butoxide ((CH_3)_3C-O^-(CH3)3CO), sodium ion (Na^+Na+) and elemental hydrogen (H_2H2).

The above scheme shows two possible mechanism for sodium to lose its valence electron to.

The color(red)(red)red arrows show that sodium gives its valence electron to hydrogen and the hydrogen loses its electron to oxygen to form hydrogen radical and tert-butoxide.

The color(blue)(blue)blue arrows show that sodium gives its valence electron to oxygen and then there is a hemolytic cleavage of the O-HOH bond to form hydrogen radical and tert-butoxide.

Finally, two hydrogen radicals combine together to form H_2H2; the elemental hydrogen.

Note that Sodium is oxidized (from 00 to +1+1) and hydrogen is reduced (from +1+1 to 00).