Question

Sodium reacts with alcohol as given below

$2Na+2ROH \rightarrow H_{2}+2\left[\right.Na^{+}\overset{-}{O}R\left]\right.$

Place the types of alcohol into decreasing order of reactivity towards Na

• A. $1^\circ >2^\circ >3^\circ $
• B. $1^\circ >3^\circ >2^\circ $
• C. $2^\circ >3^\circ >1^\circ $
• D. $3^\circ >2^\circ >1^\circ $

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Reactivity of alcohols toward Na depends upon the acidic nature of the alcohol. More the acidic nature of alcohol, the faster is the reaction between alcohol and sodium.

The electron-releasing alkyl group decrease the acidic nature of alcohol. Decreasing order of acidity of alcohols is $CH_{3}OH>1^\circ >2^\circ >3^\circ .$ The same is the order of reactivity towards Na.