The basicity of alkali metal methoxides in methanol. The effects of ion association on methoxide additions to activated anisoles

Abstract

The formation of adducts with 1 :2 and 1:3 stoichiometry by methoxide addition to nitro-activated anisoles has been examined spectrophotometrically. For these equilibria the ‘basicity’ of sodium methoxide solutions in methanol is appreciably greater than that of corresponding potassium methoxide solutions. This is in contrast with other measures of basicity and is attributed to the association of the multi-charged adducts with cations which is stronger with sodium than with potassium ions.