Question

When two ethyl bromide react with two sodium atom in a anion mechanism ('WOORTZ' reaction) only two carbon compound is formed?. Doesn't the product side forms double the carbon atoms than reactant??

Answer 1

2 moles of alkyl halide react with sodium in presence of Dry Ether to produce an alkane giving off the respective sodium halide as by product. Thats Wurtz reaction. Consider the reaction in which 2 mole of ethyl bromide react with 2sodium atom, by anion method

C2H5Br + Na + Na + BrC2H5 → C4H10 + 2 NaBr

2 moles of ethyl bromide is used in the reactant side. That is a total of 4 carbon atoms. After wurtz reaction the products formed are one mole of butane. That is 4 carbon atoms. Wurtz reaction is used to combine two moles of alkyl halides. The quation is balanced here. Check your equation correctly if there occurs a miss match in the balanced equation. The above equation is the correct balaced one.