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Explain why sodium metal can be used for...

Explain why sodium metal can be used for drying diethyl ether but not ethyl alcohol ?

Text Solution

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Due to the presence of an active hydrogen atom, ethyl alcohol reacts with sodium metal/
`2CH_(3)-CH_(2)-OH+Nato2CH_(3)-CH_(2)-ONa+H_(2)`
Diethyl ether on the other hand does not have replaceable hydrogen atom therefore does not react with sodium metal hence can be dried with metallic sodium.
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