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Why doesn't ethanol dissolve in sodium bicarbonate?
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Maria Pugliese
Why doesn't ethanol dissolve in sodium bicarbonate?
Firstly ethanol being an organic compound, tends to dissolve less in polar compounds. But it can form numerous hydrogen bonds in water and hence is soluble in most aqueous solutions.
NaOH is a often considered a moderate base in organic chemistry. If you dissolve ethanol in aq.NaOH , it tends to oxidize the alcohol into its aldehyde which further undergoes aldol reactions, giving it a yellowish brown color when left for many days.
That is not the case with NaHCO3 as its an even weaker base, so it rarely participates in any reaction with ethanol. Also there are lesser possible hydrogen bonds per molecule in it. So its already less soluble in polar solvents like H2O, not to talk about in organic solvents like ethanol.
Firstly ethanol being an organic compound, tends to dissolve less in polar compounds. But it can form numerous hydrogen bonds in water and hence is soluble in most aqueous solutions.NaOH is a often considered a moderate base in organic chemistry. If you dissolve ethanol in aq.NaOH , it tends to oxidize the alcohol into its aldehyde which further undergoes aldol reactions, giving it a yellowish brown color when left for many days.
That is not the case with NaHCO3 as its an even weaker base, so it rarely participates in any reaction with ethanol. Also there are lesser possible hydrogen bonds per molecule in it. So its already less soluble in polar solvents like H2O, not to talk about in organic solvents like ethanol.
Neither did it seem much convincing to me at first, though I couldnt have been much sure about reactions that take a days to occur, so I just knew it as a fact, though I am sure that NaOH cant oxidize ethanol. But it was what I learnt from a site while surfing the net, here goes the link--More
Sodium bicarbonate is a ionic compound with quite limited solubility in water. Ethanol is worse solvent to dissolve ionic compounds than water is, as it is less polar. Therefore salts have generally worse solubility in ethanol than in water.
Sodium bicarbonate is a ionic compound with quite limited solubility in water. Ethanol is worse solvent to dissolve ionic compounds than water is, as it is less polar. Therefore salts have generally worse solubility in ethanol than in water.
Firstly ethanol being an organic compound, tends to dissolve less in polar compounds. But it can form numerous hydrogen bonds in water and hence is soluble in most aqueous solutions. NaOH is a often considered a moderate base in organic chemistry. If you dissolve ethanol in aq.NaOH , it tends to oxidize the alcohol into its aldehyde which further undergoes aldol reactions, giving it a yellowish brown color when left for many days.
That is not the case with NaHCO3 as its an even weaker base, so it rarely participates in any reaction with ethanol. Also there are lesser possible hydrogen bonds per molecule in it. So its already less soluble in polar solvents like H2O, not to talk about in organic solvents like ethanol.
Hope this helps.
Firstly ethanol being an organic compound, tends to dissolve less in polar compounds. But it can form numerous hydrogen bonds in water and hence is soluble in most aqueous solutions.NaOH is a often considered a moderate base in organic chemistry. If you dissolve ethanol in aq.NaOH , it tends to oxidize the alcohol into its aldehyde which further undergoes aldol reactions, giving it a yellowish brown color when left for many days.
That is not the case with NaHCO3 as its an even weaker base, so it rarely participates in any reaction with ethanol. Also there are lesser possible hydrogen bonds per molecule in it. So its already less soluble in polar solvents like H2O, not to talk about in organic solvents like ethanol.
Hope this helps.
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Sodium bicarbonate is a ionic compound with quite limited solubility in water. Ethanol is worse solvent to dissolve ionic compounds than water is, as it is less polar. Therefore salts have generally worse solubility in ethanol than in water.
Sodium bicarbonate is a ionic compound with quite limited solubility in water. Ethanol is worse solvent to dissolve ionic compounds than water is, as it is less polar. Therefore salts have generally worse solubility in ethanol than in water.
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