The WURTZ REACTION couples two alkyl halides with sodium metal in dry ether to give

1. Your syllabus: the Wurtz reaction joins two alkyl halides via radical coupling. 2. Generic equation: $2\,\mathrm{R{-}X} + 2\,\mathrm{Na} \xrightarrow{\text{dry ether}} \mathrm{R{-}R} + 2\,\mathrm{NaX}$. 3. Product: a higher (symmetrical) ALKANE with double the number of carbons of the starting halide. 4. Example: $2\,\mathrm{CH_3Br} + 2\,\mathrm{Na} \to \mathrm{CH_3{-}CH_3} + 2\,\mathrm{NaBr}$ (ethane). 5. Limitation: works cleanly for SYMMETRIC alkanes (same alkyl halides). Unsymmetric coupling gives a MIXTURE of products. 6. Options A (alcohol), B (alkene), D (Grignard) describe other reaction outcomes. _Source: syllabus Chemistry Part 2, Ch 6, §6.4 (Preparations from haloalkanes — Wurtz reaction), p. 7._