Which of the following would give a single pure alkane (apart from inorganic by-products) as the only hydrocarbon product?

AWurtz reaction of ethyl bromide alone with sodium in dry ether
BWurtz reaction of an equimolar mixture of $CH X_{3} Br$ and $CH X_{3} CH X_{2} Br$
CKolbe electrolysis of sodium propanoate
DKolbe electrolysis of an equimolar mixture of sodium acetate and sodium propanoate

Answer: A, C

Coupling of identical groups gives one alkane: ethyl + ethyl gives butane in both the Wurtz reaction of

C X_{2} H X_{5} Br

and the Kolbe electrolysis of propanoate. A mixture of two different halides or two different carboxylates gives three alkanes through homo and cross coupling.

Practice Hydrocarbons More on Alkanes: preparation (Wurtz, Kolbe, decarboxylation) and reactions

Previous questionNext question

Which of the following would give a single pure alkane (apart from inorganic by-products) as the only hydrocarbon product?

Answer: A, C

More questions on Alkanes: preparation (Wurtz, Kolbe, decarboxylation) and reactions