Name: Conversion
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 8 min 3 s
Description: Let's see how nucleophilic substitution takes place in a lab. How can you make it happen? Why does it happen? You'll learn and see and will be stunned beyond...

Question

Explain the following with one example.

Wurtz reaction

Accepted Answer

Wurtz reaction: In this reaction, two alkyl halides are coupled to yield a longer alkane chain with the help of sodium and dry ether solution. Apart from sodium, metals like silver, indium, activated copper, zinc, and iron can also be used in the Wurtz reaction in order to obtain alkanes.

The mechanism of this reaction involves free radicals, allowing for the possibility of side reactions that lead to the formation of alkanes as the product. A reaction related to the Wurtz Reaction in which aryl halides are used instead of alkyl halides is often called the Wurtz-Fittig reaction and is a very important named reaction in organic chemistry.

The general form of the Wurtz reaction equation can be written as follows:

$2 R - X + 2 Na \to R - R + 2 {Na}^{+} X^{-}$

It can be observed from this equation that the two R groups are joined, yielding an alkane with a longer chain along with $NaX$ , where X is a Halogen.

As an example, we can obtain ethane by reacting methyl bromide with sodium in the presence of dry ether or tetrahydrofuran.

The reaction is:

$2 {CH}_{3} Br + 2 Na \to C_{2} H_{6} + 2 NaBr$

Explain the following with one example.

Wurtz reaction

Important Questions on Haloalkanes and Haloarenes

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