Sodium Methoxide

The Uses of Sodium Methoxide

Sodium methoxide is mainly used as a condensation agent, a strong alkaline catalyst and a methoxylating agent for the production of vitamin B1 and A, sulfadiazine and other drugs, and in small quantities for the production of pesticides. It is also used as a catalyst for treatment ofedible fats and oils, as an intermediate inmany synthetic reactions, to prepare sodiumcellulosate; and as a reagent in chemicalanalysis.

The Uses of Sodium Methoxide

To a solution of the alcohol (A) (86 mg, 482 umol) in anhydrous THF (5 mL) at RT was added NaH (60% dispersion on mineral oil, 21 mg, 526 umol), and the mixture was stirred at RT for 15 min. The aryl chloride (B) (150 mg, 439 umol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred at RT for 45 min, then 80 C for 2 h. H2O and sat aq NaHCO3 were added and the mixture was extracted with EtOAc, washed with brine, dried (Na2SO4), and concentrated. The resulting material was purified by silica gel column chromatography (0-25% EtOAc/cyclohexane) to provide the product. [137 mg]