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Ken McCarthy

Reaction of an alkyl halide with silver nitrite

Alapa Osayande Wisdom  Follow

On treating ethanolic solution of haloalkane with silver nitrite ($\ce{Ag-O-N=O}$), nitroalkane is formed because since the bond between $\ce{Ag-O}$ is covalent, the lone pair on nitrogen acts as an attacking site for nucleophilic substitution.

$$\ce{R-X + AgNO2 -> R-NO2 + AgX}$$

But on the other hand if haloalkane is treated with potassium nitrite ($\ce{KNO2}$), alkyl nitrite is formed as major product because since the bond between $\ce{K-O}$ is ionic in nature, the negative charge on oxygen serves as an attacking site.

$$\ce{R-X + KNO2 -> R-O-N=O + KX}$$

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H?kon Hapnes Strand  Follow
Can $AgNO_2$ not exist as nitrite-N?More
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Jeremy Kennedy  Follow
@Nilay Ghosh but the other O has 2 lone pairs, why dosent it attack the methyl group ...?More
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Jim Grupé  Follow
@Internet Guy no, silver nitrite is nitrite-O as the silver is bonded to oxygen atom. See this: More
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Fred Jenkins  Follow
chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/55300/…More
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Eileen M. Gormley  Follow
But my question is , Is it the only product or the product with higher yieldMore
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