Sodium tert‑butoxide CAS#865‑48‑5
Sodium tert‑butoxide is a white to off‑white, highly hygroscopic crystalline powder with fine granular morphology. Upon prolonged exposure to moist ambient air, it readily absorbs atmospheric moisture, tends to agglomerate and caking, meanwhile releasing irritating alkaline fumes.
It carries a strong caustic‑like pungent odor that is noticeable upon opening packaging. Sodium tert‑butoxide has an apparent bulk density ranging from 0.40‑0.65 g/cm³, a melting point of 180 °C accompanied by thermal decomposition, and exhibits no definite boiling point since it decomposes thoroughly before reaching vaporization temperature.
It reacts violently and exothermically with water as well as protic solvents such as methanol and ethanol, while showing good solubility in common aprotic organic solvents including toluene, hexane and tetrahydrofuran. It is a potent strong‑base chemical with severe corrosivity toward human skin, eyes and respiratory mucous membranes, requiring full personal protective equipment during handling.
Although sodium tert‑butoxide remains relatively stable under strict anhydrous, inert‑gas‑blanketed and hermetically sealed storage conditions, when exposed to moisture or subjected to excessive heat, it decomposes and releases flammable tert‑butanol vapors which may form explosive mixtures with air.
Besides, it can undergo vigorous exothermic reactions with acids, halogenated hydrocarbons and strong oxidizing agents, so isolated storage away from these incompatible materials is strictly required.
| Melting point | 180 °C (decomposition) |
| Boiling point | 180 °C / 1 mmHg (decomposes under normal pressure) |
| density | 1.104 g/cm³ (20 °C) |
| vapor density | Not applicable (solid, decomposes before vaporization) |
| vapor pressure | Negligible, 0 Pa at 20 °C |
| refractive index | n20/D 1.413 (for solution) |
| Fp | 12 °C (closed cup) |
| storage temp. | Store below +30 °C, anhydrous, inert‑gas protection, keep tightly sealed |
| solubility | Violently reacts with water and protic solvents; soluble in toluene, THF and other aprotic organic solvents |
| form | Crystalline powder / fine powder |
| color | White to off‑white |
| explosive limit | 2.3‑8 vol% (data from released tert‑butanol vapor) |
| Water Solubility | Reacts violently with water (hydrolysis, no true solubility) |
| Sensitive | Air Sensitive, Hygroscopic; reacts rapidly with moisture |
| Merck | 14,8700 |
| BRN | 3654215 |
| Henry's Law | No data available |
| Constant | No data available |
| Dielectric constant | No data available |
| Exposure limits | No official occupational exposure limits established |
| Stability | Stable only under strictly anhydrous, inert‑gas‑sealed conditions. Decomposes on exposure to moisture, acids or excessive heat; incompatible with oxidizing agents, protic solvents |
Sodium tert‑butoxide is a strong non‑nucleophilic organic base primarily used as a chemical intermediate and basic catalyst in organic synthesis, in the manufacture of pharmaceutical intermediates, agrochemical products and fine chemicals. To a lesser extent, it has been applied for polymer modification, preparation of other metal alkoxides and custom laboratory synthetic work. Although it has been frequently considered for various deprotonation, condensation and elimination reaction schemes in synthetic chemistry, it has not been used for aqueous‑phase reactions due to its violent hydrolysis when exposed to moisture and water. All handling and synthesis operations must be carried out under strictly anhydrous conditions.
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