How is an alkyl halide extended by ONE carbon?

1 Answer
Feb 25, 2016

We could (i) pour the Grignard reagent onto dry ice, or (ii) treat iodomethane with cyanide and hydrolyze. In each case we extend the carbon chain by 1.

Explanation:

There are many alternatives:

#H_3C-I + Mg rarr H_3C-MgI + CO_2 rarr H_3C-CO_2^(-)(MgI)^+#

#H_3C-I + N-=C^(-) rarr H_3C-C-=N + I^(-) rarr "acid hydrolysis" rarr H_3C-CO_2H#