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Na3AlO3 is an aluminate of sodium- it is known as a solid and contains a polymeric anion.

Aluminium dissolves in sodium hydroxide solution to produce hydrogen.

The reaction is often written as if the product is Na3AlO3

Al+3NaOH = Na3AlO3 + H2

Some wise people put the Na3AlO3 in quotes to show that the exact form of the aluminum salt is not as shown.

This equation is wrong--the implication of it is that the OH- is deprotonated by Aluminium to produce hydrogen and O2-- this is not what happens.

Hydrogen is certainly evolved and there is aluminum in solution- however a better way of expressing this phenomenon is as follows

Aluminium is only unreactive to water because there is a layer of Al2O3 on the surface- strong nitric acid can be transported in Al containers quite safely because of this.

The NaOH removes the Al2O3, the water can then react with the aluminum

2Al+6H2O = 2Al(OH)3 + 3H2

The OH- keeps the Al(OH)3 in solution as Al(OH)4-

the overall reaction is

2Al + 6H2O + 2NaOH = 3H2 + 2NaAl(OH)4(aq)

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