Why Grignard reagent don't react with alkylhalides ?

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Why Grignard reagent don't react with alkylhalides ?

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Answer 1 · 2018-03-04T09:51:52

Because, assuming ordinary temperatures where substitution occurs, it'll just make more of itself again...

Grignard reagents are simply $R :^{-} {MgX}^{+}$ $R:^(-)"MgX"^(+)$ , where $X = Br$ $X = "Br"$ is the most optimal, but $X' = "Cl"$ could be used. $R$ can simply denote alkyl groups.

If you seriously want to react with $R'-"X"'$ , you'll just get

$R:^(-)"MgX"^(+) + R'-"X"' -> R-"X"' + R':^(-)"MgX"^(+)$

via second order substitution, which is another Grignard reagent. So you don't get anywhere, really.

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Why Grignard reagent don't react with alkylhalides ?

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