Why tertiary alkyl halides doesn't take part in Wurtj reaction?
1 Answer
It's because a critical step in the reaction involves an
Explanation:
The general equation for a Wurtz reaction is
The reaction occurs through a free radical mechanism.
Step 1. Electron transfer to halogen
The
Step 2. Electron transfer to alkyl radical
Another sodium transfers an electron to the alkyl radical, forming a carbanion.
Step 3. Nucleophilic attack on alkyl halide
The carbanion attacks the alkyl halide in an
Nucleophilic attack on a tertiary alkyl halide is extremely slow because of steric hindrance.
That's why the Wurtz reaction does not work with tertiary alkyl halides.