What is a magnesium alkoxide?

1 Answer
Dec 19, 2016

A magnesium alkoxide is the magnesium salt of an alcohol.

Explanation:

An alkoxide ion #"RO"^"-"# is the conjugate base of an alcohol (#"ROH")#, where #"R"# is any alkyl group.

#underbrace("ROH")_color(red)("acid") + "H"_2"O" ⇌ underbrace("RO"^"-")_color(red)("conjugate base") + "H"_3"O"^"+"#

The general formula for a salt is #"M"_text(a)"X"_text(b)#, where #"M"# is the metal cation, #"X"# is the anion, and #"a"# and #"b"# are integers.

Magnesium ion is #"Mg"^(2+)#, and alkoxide is #"RO"^"-"#.

∴ The formula for a magnesium alkoxide is #"Mg(OR)"_2#.