Alcohols react with sodium to generate sodium alkoxide and hydrogen gas.

When an alcohol interacts with sodium, a displacement reaction occurs. Sodium, being a highly reactive metal, displaces the hydrogen atom within the alcohol molecule. This reaction yields a sodium alkoxide and releases hydrogen gas.

For instance, consider ethanol, a widely used alcohol, reacting with sodium. The chemical equation representing this reaction is:

In this equation, $\text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{OH}$ denotes ethanol, $\text{Na}$ is sodium, $\text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{ONa}$ represents sodium ethoxide (the sodium alkoxide), and $\text{H}_2$ indicates hydrogen gas.

This reaction is highly exothermic, meaning it releases a significant amount of heat. The heat generated is sufficient to ignite the hydrogen gas produced, resulting in a characteristic “pop” sound. This phenomenon serves as a common test for identifying the presence of alcohols in various substances.

It’s crucial to recognize that this reaction does not occur with all types of alcohols. For example, tertiary alcohols do not react with sodium. This inability arises because the necessary hydrogen atom for displacement is not present in tertiary alcohols.

In summary, the interaction between alcohols and sodium is a displacement reaction that results in the formation of a sodium alkoxide and the release of hydrogen gas. This reaction is not only highly exothermic but also serves as a standard test for the presence of alcohols. However, it is important to note that certain alcohols, such as tertiary alcohols, do not participate in this reaction.