Write a note on Wurtz Reaction.

Explanation

Alkyl halides react with sodium in dry ether to give hydrocarbons containing double the number of carbon atoms present in the halide. This reaction is known as Wurtz reaction.
`underset("Alkylhalide")(2R-X+2Na)rarr underset("Alkane")(R-R+2NaX)`
`underset("Ethyl bronlide")(2CH_(3)-CH_(2)-Br+2Na)overset(" dry ")underset(" ether ")rarr underset("n-Butane")(CH_(3)-CH_(2)-CH_(2)-CH_(3)+2NaBr)`
`underset("Isopropyl bromide")(2(CH_(3))_(2)CH-Br+2Na)overset(" dry ")underset(" ether ")rarr underset("2,3 - Dimethylbutane")((CH_(3))_(2)CH-CH(CH_(3))_(2)+2NaBr)`
Limitations of Wurtz reaction : (i) Methane cannot be prepared by this method, (ii) If alkyl halide is tertiary, the alkene is the major product. (iii) The method is suitable to produce an alkanes only with even number carbon atoms.