Disordered sodium alkoxides from powder data: crystal structures of sodium ethoxide, propoxide, butoxide and pentoxide, and some of their solvates

The crystal structures of sodium ethoxide (sodium ethanolate, NaOEt), sodium n‐propoxide (sodium n‐propanolate, NaOnPr), sodium n‐butoxide (sodium n‐butanolate, NaOnBu) and sodium n‐pentoxide (sodium n‐amylate, NaOnAm) were determined from powder X‐ray diffraction data. NaOEt crystallizes in space group P421m, with Z = 2, and the other alkoxides crystallize in P4/nmm, with Z = 2. To resolve space‐group ambiguities, a Bärnighausen tree was set up, and Rietveld refinements were performed with different models. In all structures, the Na and O atoms form a quadratic net, with the alkyl groups pointing outwards on both sides (anti‐PbO type). The alkyl groups are disordered. The disorder becomes even more pronounced with increasing chain length. Recrystallization from the corresponding alcohols yielded four sodium alkoxide solvates: sodium ethoxide ethanol disolvate (NaOEt·2EtOH), sodium n‐propoxide n‐propanol disolvate (NaOnPr·2nPrOH), sodium isopropoxide isopropanol pentasolvate (NaOiPr·5iPrOH) and sodium tert‐amylate tert‐amyl alcohol monosolvate (NaOtAm·tAmOH, tAm = 2‐methyl‐2‐butyl). Their crystal structures were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. All these solvates form chain structures consisting of Na+, –O− and –OH groups, encased by alkyl groups. The hydrogen‐bond networks diverge widely among the solvate structures. The hydrogen‐bond topology of the iPrOH network in NaOiPr·5iPrOH shows branched hydrogen bonds and differs considerably from the networks in pure crystalline iPrOH.

The crystal structures of NaOEt, NaOPr, NaOBu and NaOAm (Am = amyl = pentyl) were determined from powder data. These compounds crystallize in an anti‐PbO structure in the space groups P21m and P4/nmm. Additionally, solvates with the composition NaOEt·2EtOH, NaOPr·2PrOH, NaOiPr·5iPrOH and NaOtAm·tAmOH were synthesized, and their structures were determined from single crystals. They form interesting chain structures of different compositions and topologies. image