Question

An alkoxide is a stronger base than hydroxide ion.Justify?

Answer 1

An alkoxide ion is a conjugate base of alcohol and hydroxyl ion is a conjugate base of water.Since , alcohol is a weaker acid than water, its conjugate base(RO^-) is a stronger base than the conjugate base of water(HO^-).Moreover the electron releasing effect of R group in alkoxide ion favours protonation more than in the hydroxide ion.Hence, hydroxide ion is a weaker base than alkoxide ion.