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The WURTZ REACTION couples two alkyl halides with sodium metal in dry ether to give
Aa primary alcohol
Ban alkene
Ca higher alkane
Da Grignard reagent
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. a higher alkane
1. NCERT §6.5 (Reactions of haloalkanes): 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: NCERT Class 12 Chemistry Part 2, Ch 6, §6.4 (Preparations from haloalkanes — Wurtz reaction), p. 7._
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