Based on later work by NurdRage, only ethereal solvents like dioxane or glyme would work to coalesce the sodium produced in NaOH/Mg aggregate. It
appears that the oxygens atoms of the solvent are necessary to weakly coordinate the metal and bring it together - it's probably possible with
toluene, but you may struggle and require multiple refluxes.
If you're after a paper, the best you'll get is my report found here: http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=104576
[Edited on 23-10-2019 by 12thealchemist][/rquo
12thealchemist do u know if anyone has actually tried glymes or whether it's just been theorised? |