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Q9.25:
Why is Wurtz reaction not preferred for the preparation of alkanes containing odd number of carbon atoms? Illustrate your answer by taking one example.
Solution :
Theoretical Foundation: The Wurtz Reaction Mechanism
The Wurtz reaction involves the coupling of two alkyl halide molecules in the presence of metallic sodium in a dry ether solvent to form a symmetric alkane. The general reaction is represented as: $2R-X + 2Na \xrightarrow{\text{dry ether}} R-R + 2NaX$
Step 1: Analyzing the Radical Mechanism
The reaction proceeds via a free-radical mechanism involving the following stages:
- Formation of Organosodium: $R-X + 2Na \rightarrow R-Na + NaX$
- Nucleophilic Attack: $R-Na + R-X \rightarrow R-R + NaX$
Because the mechanism relies on the collision of two alkyl radicals (or an organometallic species and an alkyl halide) in the reaction medium, if one attempts to synthesize an alkane with an odd number of carbon atoms—for example, propane ($C_3H_8$)—by using a mixture of methyl halide ($CH_3X$) and ethyl halide ($C_2H_5X$), the reaction ceases to be selective.
Step 2: Illustrative Example of Product Mixture
To prepare propane ($C_3H_8$), one would use a mixture of methyl chloride ($CH_3Cl$) and ethyl chloride ($C_2H_5Cl$). According to the mechanism, the following coupling products occur simultaneously:
| Reactants | Coupling Product | IUPAC Name |
|---|---|---|
| $CH_3Cl + CH_3Cl$ | $CH_3-CH_3$ | Ethane |
| $C_2H_5Cl + C_2H_5Cl$ | $C_2H_5-C_2H_5$ | n-Butane |
| $CH_3Cl + C_2H_5Cl$ | $CH_3-C_2H_5$ | Propane |
Step 3: Justification for Non-Preference
The formation of propane is accompanied by the production of significant quantities of ethane and n-butane. Since these alkanes have very similar boiling points (due to similar molecular weights and London dispersion forces), their separation via fractional distillation is practically inefficient and commercially unviable [Per the Principles of Fractional Distillation].
Visual Representation of Product Distribution
Final Solution: The Wurtz reaction is not preferred for the synthesis of odd-numbered alkanes because the resulting mixture of alkanes (specifically the symmetric by-products like ethane and butane) possesses boiling points that are too close to be effectively separated by industrial distillation methods, resulting in low purity and yield of the target odd-carbon alkane.
More Questions from Class 11 Chemistry Hydrocarbons EXERCISES
- Q9.1: How do you account for the formation of ethane during chlorination of methane ?
- Q9.10: Why is benzene extra ordinarily stable though it contains three double bonds?
- Q9.11: What are the necessary conditions for any system to be aromatic?
- Q9.12(i): Explain why the following systems are not aromatic? (i)
- Q9.12(ii): Explain why the following systems are not aromatic? (ii)
- Q9.12(iii): Explain why the following systems are not aromatic? (iii)
- Q9.13(i): How will you convert benzene into (i) $p$-nitrobromobenzene
- Q9.13(ii): How will you convert benzene into (ii) $m$-nitrochlorobenzene
- Q9.13(iii): How will you convert benzene into (iii) $p$-nitrotoluene
- Q9.13(iv): How will you convert benzene into (iv) acetophenone?
- Q9.14: In the alkane $H_3C-CH_2-C(CH_3)_2-CH_2-CH(CH_3)_2$, identify $1^{\circ},2^{\circ},3^{\circ}$ carbon atoms and give the number of H atoms bonded to each one of these.
- Q9.15: What effect does branching of an alkane chain has on its boiling point?
- Q9.16: Addition of HBr to propene yields 2-bromopropane, while in the presence of benzoyl peroxide, the same reaction yields 1-bromopropane. Explain and give mechanism.
- Q9.17: Write down the products of ozonolysis of 1,2-dimethylbenzene ($o$-xylene). How does the result support Kekulé structure for benzene?
- Q9.18: Arrange benzene, $n$-hexane and ethyne in decreasing order of acidic behaviour. Also give reason for this behaviour.
- Q9.19: Why does benzene undergo electrophilic substitution reactions easily and nucleophilic substitutions with difficulty?
- Q9.2(a): Write IUPAC names of the following compounds : (a) $CH_3CH=C(CH_3)_2$
- Q9.2(b): Write IUPAC names of the following compounds : (b) $CH_2=CH-C \equiv C-CH_3$
- Q9.2(c): Write IUPAC names of the following compounds : (c)
- Q9.2(d): Write IUPAC names of the following compounds : (d)
- Q9.2(e): Write IUPAC names of the following compounds : (e)
- Q9.2(f): Write IUPAC names of the following compounds : (f)
- Q9.2(g): Write IUPAC names of the following compounds : (g)
- Q9.20(i): How would you convert the following compounds into benzene? (i) Ethyne
- Q9.20(ii): How would you convert the following compounds into benzene? (ii) Ethene
- Q9.20(iii): How would you convert the following compounds into benzene? (iii) Hexane
- Q9.21: Write structures of all the alkenes which on hydrogenation give 2-methylbutane.
- Q9.22(a): Arrange the following set of compounds in order of their decreasing relative reactivity with an electrophile, $E^+$ (a) Chlorobenzene, 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene, $p$-nitrochlorobenzene
- Q9.22(b): Arrange the following set of compounds in order of their decreasing relative reactivity with an electrophile, $E^+$ (b) Toluene, $p-H_3C-C_6H_4-NO_2$, $p-O_2N-C_6H_4-NO_2$.
- Q9.23: Out of benzene, $m$-dinitrobenzene and toluene which will undergo nitration most easily and why?
- Q9.24: Suggest the name of a Lewis acid other than anhydrous aluminium chloride which can be used during ethylation of benzene.
- Q9.3(a): For the following compounds, write structural formulas and IUPAC names for all possible isomers having the number of double or triple bond as indicated : (a) $C_4H_8$ (one double bond)
- Q9.3(b): For the following compounds, write structural formulas and IUPAC names for all possible isomers having the number of double or triple bond as indicated : (b) $C_5H_8$ (one triple bond)
- Q9.4(i): Write IUPAC names of the products obtained by the ozonolysis of the following compounds : (i) Pent-2-ene
- Q9.4(ii): Write IUPAC names of the products obtained by the ozonolysis of the following compounds : (ii) 3,4-Dimethylhept-3-ene
- Q9.4(iii): Write IUPAC names of the products obtained by the ozonolysis of the following compounds : (iii) 2-Ethylbut-1-ene
- Q9.4(iv): Write IUPAC names of the products obtained by the ozonolysis of the following compounds : (iv) 1-Phenylbut-1-ene
- Q9.5: An alkene ‘$A$’ on ozonolysis gives a mixture of ethanal and pentan-3-one. Write structure and IUPAC name of ‘$A$’.
- Q9.6: An alkene ‘$A$’ contains three $C-C$, eight $C-H$ $\sigma$ bonds and one $C-C$ $\pi$ bond. ‘$A$’ on ozonolysis gives two moles of an aldehyde of molar mass 44 u. Write IUPAC name of ‘$A$’.
- Q9.7: Propanal and pentan-3-one are the ozonolysis products of an alkene? What is the structural formula of the alkene?
- Q9.8(i): Write chemical equations for combustion reaction of the following hydrocarbons: (i) Butane
- Q9.8(ii): Write chemical equations for combustion reaction of the following hydrocarbons: (ii) Pentene
- Q9.8(iii): Write chemical equations for combustion reaction of the following hydrocarbons: (iii) Hexyne
- Q9.8(iv): Write chemical equations for combustion reaction of the following hydrocarbons: (iv) Toluene
- Q9.9: Draw the cis and trans structures of hex-2-ene. Which isomer will have higher b.p. and why?
CBSE Solutions for Class 11 Chemistry Hydrocarbons
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