SODIUM METHOXIDE Meaning and
Definition
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Sodium Methoxide is a chemical compound commonly referred to as sodium methylate. It is an organic compound with the formula CH3ONa, consisting of a methyl group (CH3) bonded to an oxygen atom (O) and a sodium atom (Na). Sodium Methoxide is a strong base that is mainly used as a reagent in organic synthesis and various industrial processes.
In terms of its physical properties, Sodium Methoxide is a white crystalline solid that is highly reactive in nature. It is usually prepared by the reaction of elemental sodium with methanol, resulting in the formation of sodium methoxide and hydrogen gas. The compound is extremely hygroscopic, meaning it readily absorbs moisture from the atmosphere.
As a versatile reagent, Sodium Methoxide is widely employed in numerous organic reactions, such as esterification, transesterification, and condensation reactions. It is particularly useful in the production of biodiesel, where it serves as a catalyst to convert vegetable oils or animal fats into methyl esters. Sodium Methoxide also finds application in pharmaceutical manufacturing and the synthesis of various organic compounds.
However, Sodium Methoxide is highly corrosive and must be handled with great caution. It reacts violently with water and other protic solvents, releasing flammable hydrogen gas. It can cause severe burns to the skin and eyes upon contact. Therefore, proper protective measures, such as wearing gloves and protective eyewear, must be taken when working with Sodium Methoxide.
Common Misspellings for SODIUM METHOXIDE
- aodium methoxide
- zodium methoxide
- xodium methoxide
- dodium methoxide
- eodium methoxide
- wodium methoxide
- sidium methoxide
- skdium methoxide
- sldium methoxide
- spdium methoxide
- s0dium methoxide
- s9dium methoxide
- sosium methoxide
- soxium methoxide
- socium methoxide
- sofium methoxide
- sorium methoxide
- soeium methoxide
- soduum methoxide
- sodjum methoxide
Etymology of SODIUM METHOXIDE
The etymology of the word "Sodium Methoxide" can be broken down as follows:
1. Sodium: The word "sodium" comes from the Medieval Latin term "sodanum" and the Arabic term "suda" or "suda1" meaning "headache". This is because sodium carbonate, which was a common source of sodium in ancient times, was known to cause headaches.
2. Methoxide: The word "methoxide" is a combination of two parts: "meth-" and "-oxide".
- "Meth-" is derived from "methane", which is the simplest hydrocarbon compound with a single carbon atom, represented by CH4, and is commonly known as natural gas or marsh gas.
- "-Oxide" refers to a chemical compound that contains oxygen in combination with one or more other elements.
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