pls explain the mechanism of wurtz reaction for me????

Dear Ankit,

The reaction consists of a halogen-metal exchange involving the radical species R• (in a similar fashion to the formation of a Grignard reagent and then the carbon-carbon bond formation in anucleophilic substitution reaction.)

One electron from the metal is transferred to the halogen to produce a metal halide and an alkyl radical.

R-X + M → R• + M⁺X⁻

The alkyl radical then accepts an electron from another metal atom to form an alkyl anion and the metal becomes cationic. This intermediate has been isolated in a several cases.

R• + M → R⁻M⁺

The nucleophilic carbon of the alkyl anion then displaces the halide in an S_N2 reaction, forming a new carbon-carbon covalent bond.

R⁻M⁺ + R-X → R-R + M⁺X⁻

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