Sodium hydride

Description

Sodium hydride, is a binary salt that has a specific hazard of releasing hydrogen upon contact with water. It is an odorless powder that is violently water reactive. The four-digit UN identification number is 1427. The NFPA 704 designation is health 3, flammability 3, and reactivity 2. The white space at the bottom of the diamond has a W with a slash through it, indicating water reactivity.

Description

Sodium hydride (NaH) is a strong base commonly used in organic chemistry to deprotonate alcohols, amine, amides, and other sufficiently acidic protons. Pure sodium hydride is prone to spontaneous ignition in moist air. For this reason, the most common form of sodium hydride used in labs is 60% sodium hydride dispersed on mineral oil.

The Uses of Sodium hydride

Sodium hydride is used to enhance the condensation reactions of carbonyl compounds through the Dieckmann condensation, Stobbe condensation, Darzens condensation and Claisen condensation. It acts as a reducing agent used to prepare diborane from boron trifluoride. It is also used in fuel cell vehicles. Further, it is used to dry some organic solvents. In addition to this, it is involved in the preparation of sulfur ylides, which is utilized for the conversion of ketones into epoxides.