Potassium Methide/Monomethyl?

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Pavel314 - 03 May 2005 08:09 GMT

I Googled for references to KCH3 but didn't find much. One website refers to
it as "potassium monomethyl"

http://www.chem.arizona.edu/faculty/ziur/kch3.html

others call it "potassium methyl" and there are also references to
"potassium methide", which I think is a more descriptive name for the
chemical.

Is there a standard name for this chemical? It seems like an unusual
molecule; are there any known scientific, medical or industrial applications
that use it?

Thanks for any input.

Paul

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Stephan Bird - 04 May 2005 08:32 GMT

> I Googled for references to KCH3 but didn't find much. One website refers to
> it as "potassium monomethyl"
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> molecule; are there any known scientific, medical or industrial applications
> that use it?

If I were looking for in an alphabetical list, I'd consider
methylpotassium, by analogy with MeLi (methyllithium) or MeMgBr
(methyl Grignard / methyl magnesium bromide). But then I'm a organiker
at heart :) Inorganic types may prefer the methide nomenclature. As to
uses, again I'd suggest similar to MeLi and MeMgBr as a source of "Me-
" or perhaps a strong base in some instances. What advantages it would
have over the previous two I'm not sure - I don't think I've seen it
in any preps and databases are currently down :(.

Stephan

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Stephan Bird MChem(Hons) AMRSC
Currently in Caernarfon, Wales

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Natural Science Forum / Chemistry / Organic Synthesis / May 2005

Potassium Methide/Monomethyl?