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Q.How is Alkane prepared from Grignard reagent?

Puducherry TnboardTamil Nadu HSC First Year (DGE) Board 2019Subjective· 2mImportance★★★★★
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Hydrolysing a Grignard reagent with water gives an alkane, R-H.

A Grignard reagent has the general formula R-MgX (R = alkyl/aryl group, X = halogen), formed by reacting an alkyl/aryl halide with magnesium metal in dry ether. The carbon-magnesium bond is highly polar (carbon is δ−, essentially carbanion-like), making the Grignard reagent extremely reactive towards any compound with an acidic/active hydrogen, such as water, alcohols, or amines.

When a Grignard reagent is treated with water (or a dilute acid), it is rapidly hydrolysed, and the alkyl/aryl group picks up a proton to form the corresponding alkane, while magnesium ends up as a hydroxy-halide:

R-MgX + H2O → R-H + Mg(OH)X

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