Alcohols and phenols react with active metals (e.g., sodium, potassium, aluminum), forming alkoxides/phenoxides and releasing hydrogen. Phenols also react with aqueous sodium hydroxide to produce sodium phenoxides.
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Alcohols and phenols react with active metals (e.g., sodium, potassium, aluminum), forming alkoxides/phenoxides and releasing hydrogen. Phenols also react with aqueous sodium hydroxide to produce sodium phenoxides.
Alcohols and phenols react with active metals, such as sodium or potassium, to produce hydrogen gas and metal alkoxides. In this reaction, the metal displaces the hydrogen from the hydroxyl group. For alcohols, the general equation is:
2R-OH + 2Na → 2R-O-Na + H₂↑
For phenols:
2Ar-OH + 2Na → 2Ar-O-Na + H₂↑
Here, R represents an alkyl group, and Ar represents an aryl group. The resulting products are metal alkoxides, which are salts of alcohols or phenols.