Wurtz reaction

Wurtz reaction A reaction to prepare alkanes by reacting a haloalkane with sodium: 2RX + 2Na → 2NaX + RR

The haloalkane is refluxed with sodium in dry ether. The method is named after the French chemist Charles-Adolphe Wurtz (1817–84). The analogous reaction using a haloalkane and a haloarene, for example: C₆H₅Cl + CH₃Cl + 2Na → 2NaCl + C₆H₅CH₃

is called the Fittig reaction after the German chemist Rudolph Fittig (1835–1910).