Answer:
The Grignard reagent is an organometallic chemical made composed of magnesium atoms linked to a halogen and an alkyl group. R-Mg-X is the general formula for Grignard reagent. It’s used in a variety of experiments to figure out what functional groups unknown substances have.
When haloalkane reacts with magnesium in the presence of vinyl or aryl halides, a very significant organometallic chemical called Grignard reagent is formed:
The following is the mechanism for the creation of Grignard reagents:
Step 1: In haloalkanes, homolytic breakage of the R-X bond occurs.
R-X→R⋅+X⋅
Step 2: The halogen radical attacks the magnesium atoms.
X⋅+Mg→⋅MgX
Step 3: R⋅ attacks the product created in step 2.
R⋅+⋅MgX→R-Mg-X
Grignard reagent is a strong base and a competent nucleophile, therefore it can react with functional groups like epoxide, ketone, aldehydic, and alcohol. When alcohols combine with Grignard reagent, an acid-base reaction occurs, resulting in the synthesis of magnesium alkoxide and the corresponding alkane. The following is the reaction:
R-OH+R’MgX→R-OMgX+R’-H
As a result, the Grignard reagent reacts with alcohols to produce alkanes.