When grignard reagent react with ethanol which product is formed?
1 Answer
The products are: alkoxide magnesium halide and an alkane (with respect to the alkyl chain in Grignard reagent).
Explanation:
Grignard reagents are, in general, alkyl magnesium halides.
It can be represented as RMgX; where R: an alkyl chain and X: a halide(maybe chloride, bromide or iodide)
Grignard reagents are good nucleophiles. Thus, they react with electrophiles like epoxides and carbonyl compounds. In addition, they are strong bases. Hence, they react with acidic hydrogens.
The reaction between ethanol and Grignard reagents is an acid-base reaction, but not a nucleophile-electrophile reaction. Due to the presence of an acidic hydrogen in alcohol, the reaction goes as it is a "neutralization reaction" in nature. But, instead of producing water, an alkane is produced.
Let's consider we have methyl magnesium chloride as a Grignard reagent, then we establish the reaction with ethanol.
CH3CH2OH + CH3MgCl ------> CH3CH2OMgCl + CH4
The products are ethoxide magnesium chloride and methane.
