Definition

A type of chemical compound that comes from an alcohol, where a hydrogen atom is replaced by a metal or another positively charged particle.

Example

Sodium alkoxide is commonly used in organic synthesis as a strong base.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of an alkoxide?

Yeah, I think it's some kind of compound from alcohol, right?

Exactly! It's formed when you replace a hydrogen atom with a metal.

That sounds interesting! I should look into how they're used in chemistry.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Alkoxide → It is formed from "alkyl" (from the Arabic *al-kuḥl*, meaning the kohl or black powder, which refers to organic compounds derived from alkanes) and "-oxide" (from Latin "oxydum", meaning oxygen compound). The word "alkoxide" refers to a compound derived from an alkane by replacing a hydrogen atom with an alkoxide group, which contains oxygen.

Memory Tip

Think of 'alkyl' as a base organic compound and '-oxide' as a compound with oxygen — together they form alkoxide, which is a type of compound derived from alkanes.

Visually Confused Words