It acts still more readily upon boric anhydride when heated with it: 2NH2Na + B2O3 = 2BN + 2NaHO + H2O. When slightly heated, NH2Na + NOCl = NaCl + N2 + H2O (NHNa2 and NNa3 are apparently not formed at a higher temperature). The halogen organic compounds react with the aid of heat, but with so much energy that the reaction frequently leads to the ultimate destruction of the organic groups and production of carbon.
As sodium does not displace hydrogen from the hydrocarbons, it may be preserved in liquid hydrocarbons. Naphtha is generally used for this purpose, as it consists of a mixture of various liquid hydrocarbons. However, in naphtha sodium usually becomes coated with a crust composed of matter produced by the action of the sodium on certain of the substances contained in the mixture composing naphtha. In order that sodium may retain its lustre in naphtha, secondary octyl alcohol is added. (This alcohol is obtained by distilling castor oil with caustic potash.) Sodium keeps well in a mixture of pure benzene and paraffin.
If sodium does not directly displace the hydrogen in hydrocarbons, still by indirect means compounds may be obtained which contain sodium and hydrocarbon groups. Some of these compounds have been produced, although not in a pure state. Thus, for instance, zinc ethyl, Zn(C2H5)2, when treated with sodium, loses zinc and forms sodium ethyl, C2H5Na, but this decomposition is not complete, and the compound formed cannot be separated by distillation from the remaining zinc ethyl. In this compound the energy of the sodium is clearly manifest, for it reacts with substances containing haloids, oxygen, &c., and directly absorbs carbonic anhydride, forming a salt of a carboxylic acid (propionic).