Basic Reaction Mechanism
A solution of sodium in liquid ammonia consists of the electride salt + e−, associated with the intense blue color of these solutions. The solvated electrons add to the aromatic ring to give a radical anion (the arrows depicting the movement of the single electrons should be 'fish-hook' arrows). The added alcohol supplies a proton to the radical anion and also to the penultimate carbanion; for most substrates ammonia is not acidic enough.
Read more about this topic: Birch Reduction
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