Ethanol reacts with sodium and forms two products. These are

When a small piece of sodium reacts with ethanol, a colourless solution of sodium ethoxide, CH₃CH₂ONa is obtained. It also gives off bubbles of hydrogen gas. Sodium ethoxide is known as an alkoxide.

This following equation shows this reaction:

2CH₃CH₂OH + 2Na 2CH₃CH₂ONa + H₂