Amines, amino acids and proteins
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Why can't I dry acetonitrile with sodium? What's the reaction between the two? Does sodium reduce the triple bond?
Corrie writes ....
You are correct: sodium metal is used to reduce nitriles to amines in an alcoholic solvent, so this reduction could well occur while using sodium to dry acetonitrile. The product would be ethylamine.
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updated: 17 August 2007
