| HS Code | 453912 |
| Productname | Sodium Methylate Liquid |
| Chemicalformula | CH3ONa |
| Casnumber | 124-41-4 |
| Einecsnumber | 204-699-5 |
| Appearance | Clear to slightly cloudy, colorless to pale yellow liquid |
| Odor | Methanol-like, pungent |
| Concentration | Typically 25-30% sodium methoxide in methanol |
| Molecularweight | 54.02 g/mol |
| Density | Approximately 0.95 g/cm3 at 20°C |
| Boilingpoint | Approximately 64-65°C (methanol component) |
| Flashpoint | Approximately 11°C (closed cup) |
| Ph | Strongly alkaline, typically 12-14 |
| Solubility | Miscible with methanol and ethanol; reacts with water |
| Vaporpressure | Approximately 128 hPa at 20°C (methanol component) |
| Autoignitiontemperature | Approximately 385°C |
| Explosivelimits | Approximately 6.0-36.5% v/v in air |
| Hazardclass | Flammable liquid, corrosive |
| Unnumber | UN 1289 |
| Packinggroup | II |
| Storageconditions | Store cool, dry, well-ventilated, away from water, acids, and oxidizing agents |
As an accredited Sodium Methylate Liquid factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Packaged in 200 L steel drums, securely sealed with hazardous labels for flammable, corrosive, moisture-sensitive Sodium Methylate Liquid. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | 20′ FCL loading of Sodium Methylate Liquid: hazardous, flammable/corrosive, packed in sealed drums, secured, labelled, documented per IMDG regulations. |
| Shipping | Sodium Methylate Liquid is transported as UN 1289, Sodium methylate solution in alcohol, Hazard Class 3 (flammable liquid) with subsidiary Class 8 (corrosive), Packing Group II. Use approved UN containers, keep tightly closed, protect from water, acids, oxidizers, heat, and ignition sources. Comply with DOT/IMDG/IATA regulations and label flammable/corrosive. |
| Storage | Store Sodium Methylate Liquid in a cool, dry, well-ventilated, fire-resistant area away from ignition sources, oxidizers, acids, water, and moisture. Keep containers tightly closed, upright, and clearly labeled. Use grounded/bonded metal containers and secondary containment. Protect from heat, direct sunlight, and freezing. Do not store with incompatible materials. Follow SDS and local flammable/corrosive storage regulations. |
| Shelf Life | Sodium methylate liquid typically lasts 12–24 months if unopened, sealed under nitrogen, cool, dry, and protected from moisture/air. |
At methanol:oil molar ratios below 6:1, the sodium methylate-catalyzed transesterification of refined low-free-fatty-acid triglyceride oils proceeds with a phase-transfer limitation that suppresses equilibrium conversion below the 96.5% ester content threshold required by EN 14103 for EN 14214 road-fuel FAME. Industrial lines feeding 25–30 wt% sodium methylate liquid to polished rapeseed, soybean, or palm oil therefore operate with a two-stage reactor network: the first stage holds a residence time of 60–90 min at 60–65 °C under atmospheric pressure, and the second stage receives additional methanol and catalyst after phase separation to drive total ester content above 98.5%. The catalyst addition ratio is set by the acid number of the oil rather than a fixed universal dose: for a refined oil with free fatty acid content below 0.35 mg KOH/g, a 30 wt% sodium methylate solution is dosed at 0.25–0.40 wt% of oil mass, while an acid number up to 0.5 mg KOH/g typically requires a shift toward 0.5–0.7 wt% to compensate for in situ soap formation. Water in the oil above 0.1 wt% measured by ISO 12937 hydrolyzes the methoxide to sodium hydroxide and methanol, reducing catalyst efficiency and increasing the monoglyceride and diglyceride residue detected by EN 14105.
Separation of the crude methyl ester phase from the glycerol phase in this process is sensitive to soap load: sodium soaps created by free fatty acid neutralization act as surfactants and slow the coalescence of glycerol droplets in a disc-stack centrifuge. Production-scale separators are specified with a sludge space volume sufficient for a soap content of 0.5–1.5 g/L in the heavy phase, and the washing train uses acidulated water at pH 2–3 to split soaps before the flash dryer. The methanol-recovery loop recycles wet methanol through a distillation column operated at 120–140 °C reboiler temperature, with recycled methanol water content controlled below 0.5 wt% to avoid catalyst dilution. Finished B100 is tested against ASTM D6751-23a in North American shipments or the corresponding EN 14214 parameter set in Europe: EN 14103 ester content, EN 14105 total glycerol, EN 14104 acid value, EN ISO 3104 viscosity at 40 °C, and EN 16294 phosphorus. The crude glycerol phase is concentrated to 80–88 wt% glycerol, while the sodium salt residue is purged through the acidulation step rather than recycled.
| Parameter | Limit | Method | Observed line effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free fatty acid in feedstock | 0.5 mg KOH/g max | EN ISO 660 | Soap formation, centrifuge sludge, methyl ester yield loss |
| Water in feedstock | 0.1 wt% max | ISO 12937 | Catalyst hydrolysis, incomplete transesterification |
| Phosphorus in refined oil | 10 mg/kg max | EN 16294 | Catalyst deactivation, poor phase separation |
| Methanol in final FAME | 0.2 wt% max | EN 14110 | Flash point reduction, out-of-specification distillation residue |
In sulfonamide intermediate trains, sodium methylate liquid functions as a non-aqueous base for deprotonation–cyclization sequences in which stoichiometric precision determines both yield and the retention of methanol as a residual solvent in the isolated product. Batch reactors for this chemistry are typically glass-lined units with a retreat-curve impeller, jacket service capable of holding -10 °C to 25 °C during the initial alkoxide addition, and a nitrogen blanket to exclude carbon dioxide that would otherwise precipitate sodium carbonate and reduce base activity. The addition ratio is set against the limiting acidic proton and the competing hydrolysis of water-sensitive intermediates: published batch records for this class of condensation indicate a working range of 1.05–1.20 molar equivalents of sodium methylate per mole of substrate, with the upper margin used when the substrate contains 0.2–0.5 wt% moisture. Methanol introduced with the reagent is subsequently reduced by vacuum distillation at 150–300 mbar and polish filtration, so that the isolated intermediate meets the 3,000 ppm methanol limit in ICH Q3C Class 2 residual solvent guidance and the corresponding USP 467 test option. Process control follows ICH Q7 good manufacturing practice for active pharmaceutical ingredients, with equipment cleaning verification under 21 CFR 211.67 and batch release documentation aligned to EU GMP Part II. Downstream product types include sulfonamide antibiotics and pyrimidine-containing anti-infective intermediates; the methoxide anion serves as the active base for carbon-acid deprotonation, not as a reagent incorporated into the final molecule, so the finished API retains no sodium methylate residue.
After the chloropyrimidine charge is wetted with methanol, the sodium methylate stream is metered below the liquid surface through a dip pipe to minimize vapor contact, and the nucleophilic displacement of the 4,6-chlorine atoms of 2-amino-4,6-dichloropyrimidine takes place in a glass-lined or Hastelloy C-276 reactor at methanol reflux, 60–65 °C. A total of 2.0–2.4 molar equivalents of sodium methylate is charged relative to the dichloropyrimidine; the first equivalent displaces one chlorine and the second equivalent completes the second methoxylation, with sodium chloride precipitation driving the final conversion. After the displacement, the mass is neutralized with dilute hydrochloric acid to pH 6.8–7.2, the sodium chloride is separated by centrifuge, and the dimethoxypyrimidine is crystallized by controlled water addition, filtered, and dried in a vacuum tray dryer at 60–70 °C. Because the intermediate is an agrochemical building block rather than a marketed pesticide, the compliance framework is anchored to REACH registration for the intermediate itself, chemical safety assessment under Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 Annex I, and final active substance approval under Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 for the formulated sulfonylurea herbicide. Downstream products incorporating this pyrimidine building block include nicosulfuron, rimsulfuron, primisulfuron-methyl, and structurally related sulfonylurea herbicides; each final active ingredient is subject to FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Specifications criteria for technical material purity, but the dimethoxypyrimidine intermediate is controlled by tiered internal specifications rather than a single public monograph.
When ethylene carbonate is transesterified with anhydrous methanol over sodium methylate liquid, the catalyst is introduced as a homogeneous stream into a reactive distillation column rather than as a fixed bed, because the alkoxide is active only in its dissolved methanolic form and is neutralized by carbon dioxide or water at trace levels. The reaction proceeds as a reversible transesterification in which ethylene carbonate and methanol form dimethyl carbonate and monoethylene glycol; the dimethyl carbonate–methanol azeotrope is withdrawn overhead, and the monoethylene glycol plus catalyst remain in the bottom stream. A typical catalyst addition ratio in this continuous configuration is 0.05–0.50 wt% sodium methylate solution relative to the ethylene carbonate feed, with the lower end used when feed moisture and glycol content are low, and the upper end used when a short residence time is maintained to reduce carbonate polymerization. The reactive column operates at 70–80 °C with a reflux ratio selected to keep the overhead composition at the 30 wt% DMC/70 wt% methanol azeotrope, after which pressure-swing or extractive distillation separates the methanol for recycle and the DMC for purification. Battery-grade dimethyl carbonate intended for lithium-ion electrolyte solvent is controlled to 99.9 wt% purity with water below 50 ppm and methanol below 20 ppm; industrial-grade DMC is commonly specified at 99.5 wt% minimum. The process is operated under REACH registration for the substance and the user site’s certified environmental management system aligned to ISO 14001:2015; published product standards for battery-grade DMC are frequently supplier-specific, so shipment specifications are verified by gas chromatography with Karl Fischer moisture rather than a single public standard. Finished products from this route include dimethyl carbonate for polycarbonate intermediate production, lithium-ion battery electrolyte, and solvent use, plus monoethylene glycol as the co-product.
Fractionally distilled methyl ester streams derived from coconut, palm kernel, rapeseed, or soybean oil occupy a different specification envelope from road-fuel FAME even though the initial transesterification chemistry is identical. In this oleochemical route, sodium methylate liquid at 25–30 wt% active content is dosed at 0.2–0.6 wt% of oil mass for refined oils with acid value below 0.5 mg KOH/g, and the reaction is run at 60–65 °C with a methanol excess of 1.5–2.5 molar equivalents per triglyceride ester bond to reach complete transesterification before distillation. After catalyst neutralization with phosphoric or citric acid and methanol recovery, the crude ester is fractionated in a wiped-film or structured-packing distillation column at 180–220 °C and 5–10 mbar to separate methyl laurate, methyl myristate, methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, and methyl oleate fractions. The distilled fraction specifications are not set by EN 14214 but by buyer-specific acid value, saponification value, iodine value, and color requirements; for personal-care emollient esters, documentation may include COSMOS Standard compliance for natural raw materials, ISO 16128-1:2016 natural origin calculation, and RSPO Supply Chain Certification Standard 2020 mass balance when palm feedstocks are used. Finished product types include surfactant intermediates, personal-care emollient esters, metalworking lubricant base esters, and defoamer components. The operational boundary of this process is the same feedstock moisture limit as fuel biodiesel: water above 0.1 wt% hydrolyzes the alkoxide and increases soap carry-over that poisons the distillation reboiler and reduces distilled ester yield.
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Identified by Chemical Abstracts Service registry number 124-41-4 and distributed as a methanolic solution with methanol CAS 67-56-1, Sodium Methylate Liquid is a strong alkoxide base containing sodium methoxide (CH3ONa; relative molecular mass 54.02) at nominal concentrations of 21 wt%, 25 wt%, or 30 wt%. The 25 wt% and 30 wt% grades are the most common; typical density at 20 °C ranges from 0.945 g/cm³ to 0.972 g/cm³, and the closed-cup flash point is approximately 11 °C because of the methanol carrier. The product is a clear to pale yellow liquid with a methanol boiling range starting at 64.5 °C. Unlike solid sodium methoxide, the liquid form does not generate dust when charged to reactors, and it avoids the strong exotherm produced when sodium hydroxide is dissolved in methanol. Because the active alkali is delivered as a solution, a 25 wt% grade provides approximately 4.63 mol/kg of sodium methoxide, while a 98 wt% solid provides approximately 18.14 mol/kg; however, the methanol carrier is not an inert diluent in transesterification and must be included in the methanol-to-oil molar balance. These properties support continuous transesterification, non-aqueous condensation, and deprotonation sequences where a pre-formed methoxide eliminates the water generated during in-situ alkoxide preparation.
Table 1 lists inspection parameters for standard 25 wt% and 30 wt% commercial grades. Values are typical supplier release limits and are verified by potentiometric titration, Karl Fischer coulometry, and digital density measurement.
| Parameter | 25 wt% Grade | 30 wt% Grade | Test Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium methylate content | 24.5–25.5 wt% | 29.5–30.5 wt% | Potentiometric titration after hydrolysis |
| Sodium hydroxide | ≤ 0.5 wt% | ≤ 0.5 wt% | Acid-base titration |
| Sodium carbonate | ≤ 0.3 wt% | ≤ 0.3 wt% | Precipitation and titration |
| Water | ≤ 0.2 wt% | ≤ 0.2 wt% | ASTM E203 |
| Methanol | balance | balance | Calculated by difference |
| Density at 20 °C | 0.945–0.955 g/cm³ | 0.962–0.972 g/cm³ | ASTM D4052 |
| Closed-cup flash point | < 15 °C | < 15 °C | ASTM D3828 |
Some producers offer low-water grades with water content at ≤ 0.1 wt% for moisture-sensitive reactions. In such grades, the methanol carrier is generally specified at 69–75 wt% and sodium hydroxide is controlled to ≤ 0.3 wt%. Low-water material is usually packaged in nitrogen-purged drums or stainless steel intermediate bulk containers lined with an inert polymer. For shipping, the product is classified as UN 1289, Class 3 (8), Packaging Group II for most methanolic solutions at or above 25 wt%. The exact packaging group varies with methanol concentration and national derogations; the transport classification must be confirmed against the safety data sheet and local dangerous goods code before bulk transfer. The flash point places the solution in GHS flammable liquid category 2, and the corrosive alkoxide fraction triggers skin corrosion classification. GHS labelling normally includes H225 for the methanol carrier and H314 for the corrosive methoxide content, although the specific classification depends on concentration.
Storage stability is controlled by carbon dioxide and moisture ingress rather than thermal decomposition. In bulk installations, the liquid is kept in 316L stainless steel or carbon steel tanks under a nitrogen pad of 0.03–0.07 bar positive pressure; aluminum, zinc, galvanized steel, and copper alloys are excluded because the alkoxide attacks amphoteric or oxide-sensitive metals and can liberate hydrogen. Temperature is maintained between 10 °C and 30 °C. Operation below 10 °C increases viscosity and can reduce flow through positive-displacement metering pumps; operation above 30 °C increases methanol vapor pressure and evaporation losses through pressure-relief vents. At 20 °C, methanol has a vapor pressure of approximately 12.9 kPa; closed tanks therefore require pressure/vacuum relief and flame arresters. The lower explosive limit of methanol is approximately 6.7 vol% and the upper explosive limit is approximately 36 vol%, so area classification according to IEC 60079-10-1 is applied to transfer and metering locations.
Repeated withdrawal from IBC totes or day tanks with air ingress raises sodium carbonate content. When sodium carbonate exceeds 0.3 wt%, precipitation can accumulate on ball-valve seats, rotameter floats, and seal flush lines. Field inspections on continuous biodiesel lines show that carbonate fouling is most rapid in facilities without nitrogen blanketing and with high ambient humidity. Water ingress above 0.2 wt% shifts the equilibrium toward sodium hydroxide and methanol; the liquid remains alkaline but methoxide activity declines, and soap formation can increase in downstream transesterification. Batch-to-batch variance of sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate is monitored by titration, and top, middle, and bottom samples are analyzed in bulk trailers to detect carbonate sediment. Unloading from tank trucks uses stainless or carbon steel pipes with dry-disconnect couplings and conductive hoses rated for methanol. Positive-displacement pumps with stainless internals are used instead of centrifugal pumps to avoid cavitation from low-boiling methanol and to maintain metering accuracy. A 0.1 mm stainless steel strainer upstream of the metering pump removes carbonate sediment and protects clearances in mass-flow meters.
In continuous transesterification units producing fatty acid methyl esters, the liquid is charged after the vacuum dryer and before the in-line static mixer. Feedstock free fatty acids are maintained at ≤ 0.5 wt% as oleic acid and water at ≤ 0.05 wt% to limit sodium soap formation. A 25 wt% solution is typically metered at 0.5 wt% to 1.2 wt% of oil when the methanol-to-oil molar ratio is 6:1. The methoxide ion is regenerated in the catalytic cycle, but it is consumed by free fatty acids, so feedstock acid value determines the effective catalyst demand. Vacuum drying of the oil at 90–110 °C and 50–100 mbar absolute, followed by Karl Fischer verification, is common before catalyst injection. The final ester content is verified by EN 14103; EN 14214 limits total glycerol to 0.25 wt% and water to 500 mg/kg in finished biodiesel. In disc-stack centrifugal separators, excess soap from high-acid feedstocks accumulates as an interfacial rag layer that reduces separating capacity and can require feed-rate reduction until the feedstock is neutralized or acid pre-esterification is installed. Heating the separator feed to 55–65 °C lowers rag viscosity but does not remove sodium soap; only upstream free fatty acid control or increased methanol dosage addresses the yield loss.
In batch production, the liquid is added to the methanol/oil mixture at 40–60 °C with agitation. The addition rate is limited by temperature rise and by the formation of a transient emulsion. After transesterification, the glycerin phase contains residual methanol; vacuum distillation recovers methanol at 20–50 mbar and 30–50 °C. Spent catalyst is neutralized with aqueous acid, typically sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid, to split soaps and reduce pH before separatory discharge.
Sodium methylate liquid is selected when the target ester is a methyl ester or when methanol is the desired nucleophile. Sodium ethoxide would introduce ethoxide ions and generate ethyl esters as a contaminant in methyl ester production; therefore sodium methylate is preferred. Potassium methoxide supplies a higher molar activity per unit mass and can be shipped as a 32 wt% methanolic solution, but it is more expensive per unit of active base and forms potassium soaps that are softer and more difficult to separate from glycerin in some disc-stack centrifuge configurations. Sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, when dissolved in methanol, generates one mole of water per mole of methoxide formed; for anhydrous sodium hydroxide, the generated water corresponds to 0.45 kg of water per 1 kg of sodium hydroxide. The liquid methoxide product avoids this water generation and the associated heat release; the dissolution of solid sodium methoxide is strongly exothermic and requires cooling, whereas the liquid is a pre-formed solution that can be metered directly.
Table 2 compares formal base delivery and handling behavior for common alternatives.
| Property | Sodium Methylate Liquid 25 wt% | Solid Sodium Methoxide 98 wt% | Sodium Hydroxide for In Situ Use | Potassium Methoxide 32 wt% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal base delivery per kg product | 4.63 mol/kg | 18.14 mol/kg | 25.0 mol/kg | 4.56 mol/kg |
| Water introduced or generated | ≤ 0.2 wt% in product | low if sealed; hygroscopic | 0.45 kg H₂O per 1 kg NaOH | ≤ 0.2 wt% |
| Handling form | pumpable liquid | dust and moisture-sensitive solid | exothermic dissolution in methanol | pumpable liquid |
| Methyl ester selectivity | high | high | high after complete conversion | high; potassium soap separation differs |
Solid sodium methoxide has a higher active alkalinity per kilogram, but its transfer and feeding require sealed hoppers, rotary valves, and nitrogen-purged screw conveyors to prevent dust and moisture pickup. Dust from solid sodium methoxide is corrosive to skin and eyes and can generate heat on contact with water. The liquid product replaces these operations with a pumpable feed at the expense of higher freight mass and methanol vapor emissions. Selection is based on total delivered alkalinity, water introduced into the reaction, and separation behavior of the resulting soap fraction. In methyl ester production, sodium methylate liquid provides methyl ester selectivity, low water content, and direct pumpability for continuous plants; potassium methoxide is generally reserved for processes where potassium tolerance is acceptable or where lower-viscosity potassium soaps are required.
In pharmaceutical intermediate synthesis, the liquid is employed as a non-aqueous base in Claisen condensations, N-alkylations, and dehydrohalogenation sequences. The 25 wt% solution is added by metering pump or pressure-transfer line to a jacketed reactor containing the substrate and a polar aprotic co-solvent such as tetrahydrofuran or dimethylformamide. The water content of ≤ 0.2 wt% is relevant for moisture-sensitive organometallic steps, and the pre-formed methoxide avoids the water produced by alkoxide generation from sodium hydroxide. Methanol has a pKa of approximately 15.5, making the methoxide ion sufficiently basic for deprotonation of active methylene compounds but less aggressive than amide bases in certain selectivity-sensitive heterocycle syntheses. In Claisen condensation, the methoxide removes the alpha-proton from an ester, forming an enolate that attacks a second ester; the reaction is usually run under anhydrous conditions because water would quench the enolate. The methoxide base is preferred over sodium ethoxide when the desired product is a methyl ester or when transesterification of the solvent is not required. Published data for specific intermediate yields are formulation-dependent, and process development reports generally verify alkalinity by potentiometric titration before use.
Agrochemical synthesis uses the liquid for methyl esterification, etherification, and displacement of reactive chlorides in organophosphorus and heterocyclic intermediates. The liquid form permits controlled addition to exothermic reaction masses through mass-flow controllers or positive-displacement pumps. Because the water content is low, hydrolysis of moisture-sensitive substrates is reduced relative to hydroxide-derived alkoxide systems. In organophosphorus intermediate synthesis, the liquid is added below the surface to avoid localized high pH and to minimize decomposition of heat-sensitive thioester intermediates. Stainless steel 316L reactors with reflux condensers vented to a caustic scrubber are typical, and the addition rate is commonly limited by the temperature rise of the reaction mass and the pH of the aqueous quench. Published data for specific organophosphorus yields are limited, but the water content of the liquid is commonly specified at ≤ 0.2 wt% to reduce hydrolysis of the starting acid chloride.
Operational boundaries include avoidance of chlorinated solvents, strong acids, and strong oxidizers. Neutralization must be conducted with dilute aqueous acid under temperature control because the reaction of methoxide with water releases methanol and heat. Spills should be contained with inert absorbents; water flushing can generate methanol vapor and increase flammability. The product should not be combined with anhydrides, acid chlorides, or halogenated hydrocarbons without a solvent and engineering review. EPDM and PTFE are preferred for gaskets and pump diaphragms, while nitrile rubber is avoided because methanolic alkoxide can degrade nitrile over time. Transfer lines should be purged with oxygen-free nitrogen and electrically grounded; compressed air must not be used for product transfer. Spent containers retain flammable methanol vapor and should be bonded and grounded during collection. Published data for this specific configuration is limited where process-specific incompatibilities are concerned, and compatibility testing is required before introducing the liquid into a new reactor train.
