Ammonia-solvated electrons?? Help!

[skyisblue]

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This is related to an alkyne reaction with an alkali metal as a reducing agent. I don't understand the term "ammonia-solvated electrons." Does that mean the ammonia is surrounded by the electrons or are the electrons surrounded by ammonia molecules? Which is it?

 

[Moni Ahmadian]

can you post the entire question. You see it's a little bit confusing without any additional info.

This is related to an alkyne reaction with an alkali metal as a reducing agent. I don't understand the term "ammonia-solvated electrons." Does that mean the ammonia is surrounded by the electrons or are the electrons surrounded by ammonia molecules? Which is it?

 

[skyisblue]

can you post the entire question. You see it's a little bit confusing without any additional info.

Hi, there is no specific question/problem to this post.

I am currently reading up on the reduction of alkynes and didn't quite understand the phrase "ammonia-solvated electrons." This particular reduction reaction of alkynes that I'm reading up on deals with alkali metals such as Li or Na in Ammonia, which when an alkyne is added produces a trans-alkene. My book says that "alkali metals dissolve in liquid ammonia at -33 degrees Celsius to produce a deep blue solution containing the metal cation and ammonia-solvated electrons. When an alkyne is then added to the solution, an electron from the metal adds to the triple bond........"

Ammonia-solvated electrons????? don't understand the wording.....what does it mean exactly?