Organic Chemistry> kolbe's electrolytic method...

why methane can't be prepared by kolbe's electrolytic method?

shivam srivastav , 14 Years ago

Grade 11

4 Answers

SAGAR SINGH - IIT DELHI

Last Activity: 14 Years ago

Dear student,

Kolbe's electolytic method is suitable for the preparation of symmetrical alkanes that is alkanes contains even no. of carbons.So methane has only one carbon.Hence it cannot be prepared by Kolbe's electolytic method.

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Ranganatha swamy b v

Last Activity: 6 Years ago

Because electrolysis takes place with minimum no of alkanoicacid salts therefore methane cannot be prepared

ankit singh

Last Activity: 4 Years ago

methane could not be prepared by Kolbe electrolysis method as there is formation of alkyl radicle and two alkyl radicle combine to form alkane .but in methane there is only one carbon so it is not prepared

Srinivasan S

Last Activity: 4 Years ago

Kolbe’s electrolysis reaction involves 2 steps:

R-COO^- ------> R^.(alkyl free radical) + CO₂(decarboxylation of an alkanoic acid having n carbons to give an alkyl radical having n-1 carbons; min. being 1, that is CH₃radical)

then the radical dimerizes to an alkane,

2R^.-------> R-R (an alkane having 2(n-1) carbons).

The lowest alkane formed itself has a minimum of 2 carbons (ethane onwards) for the reaction to occur. Since, Methane has only 1 carbon in total, this can’t be formed by Kolbe’s process.