Various strong bases have been used for dehydrohalogenation. Ptassium hydroxide dissolved in ethanol is a reagent sometimes used, but the sodium salts of alcohols, such as (and potassium) alkoxides are usually prepared by treating an excess of the alcohol with

Options

A. `NaOH`
B. `NaH`
C. `Na`
D. Both (2) and (3)

Answer

D

Explanation

`underset("Alcohol")(2ROH)+2Nararrunderset("alkoxide")underset("Sodium")(2RO^(-)Na^(+))+H_(2)`
`underset("acid")underset("Stronger")(ROH)+2Na^(+)H^(-)rarrRO^(-)Na^(+)+underset("acid")underset("Weaker")(H-H)`
`underset("acis")underset("Weaker")(ROH)+NaOHrarrRO^(-)Na^(+)+underset("acid")underset("Stronger")(H_(2)O)`
Third reaction is not successful beacuse weaker acid cannot displace stronger acid.
The excess alcohol becomes the solvent for the reaction.