Reaction of Haloalkanes With Metals

Haloalkanes react with a variety of metals (zinc, magnesium and lithium). The compounds so obtained have a metal atom directly bonded to a carbon atom. Such compounds in which the metal atom is directly bonded to a carbon atom are known as organometallic compounds.

The organometallic compounds of magnesium with alkyl and aryl halides are known as Grignard reagents.

Wurtz Reaction

Alkyl halides react with metallic sodium in presence of dry ether to form symmetrical higher alkanes. This reaction is called Wurtz reaction.

Corey House Synthesis

The Corey-House synthesis  involves the reaction of a lithium dialkyl cuprate with an alkyl halide to form a new alkane, an organocopper compound and a lithium halide.

R₂CuLi + R'-X → R-R' + RCu + LiX