Science of Synthesis

Venturello, P.; Barbero, M., Science of Synthesis, (2006) 8, 895.

General Introduction

Sodium hydride is used as a base for the deprotonation of various organic substrates, and is also a useful reducing agent. Sodium hydride is supplied commercially as a free-flowing powder, or as a gray powder dispersed in mineral oil. The mineral oil may be removed by stirring with pentane, then allowing the solid powder to settle. The supernatant liquid mixture may be pipetted off, and the dry powder should only be handled under an inert atmosphere. Any hydride in the removed supernatant should be quenched carefully with a small amount of alcohol before disposal. Sodium hydride dust is stable in dry atmospheres, however, it rapidly decomposes in moist air. Sodium hydride reacts more violently than sodium metal with water, and the heat of reaction usually causes hydrogen ignition.

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