text: Sodium methoxide, also called sodium methylate and sodium methanolate, is a white powder when pure.  It is used as an initiator of an anionic addition polymerization with ethylene oxide, forming a polyether with high molecular weight.  Both sodium methoxide and its counterpart prepared with potassium are frequently used as catalysts for commercial-scale production of biodiesel. In this process, vegetable oils or animal fats, which chemically are fatty acid triglycerides, are transesterified with methanol to give fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs).
  Sodium methoxide is produced on an industrial scale and available from a number of chemical companies.