Question:medium

The product of reaction between alcoholic silver nitrite with ethyl bromide is

Show Hint

AgNO\(_2\) gives nitroalkanes; KNO\(_2\) gives alkyl nitrites.
Updated On: Jun 16, 2026
  • ethene
  • ethane
  • ethyl nitrile
  • nitro ethane
Show Solution

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

To determine the product of the reaction between alcoholic silver nitrite and ethyl bromide, let's understand the chemical process involved.

**Explanation of Reaction:**

  • When ethyl bromide (C2H5Br) reacts with silver nitrite (AgNO2) in alcoholic medium, the reaction proceeds via nucleophilic substitution.
  • Silver nitrite is ambidentate, meaning it can act as a nucleophile through either the nitrogen or oxygen atom. However, in this case, the nitrogen from silver nitrite attacks the ethyl group, leading to the formation of a nitro compound rather than a nitrite.

**Reaction Equation:**

\(\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{Br} + \text{AgNO}_2 \rightarrow \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{NO}_2 + \text{AgBr} \downarrow\)

Here, the bromine atom in ethyl bromide is replaced by the nitro group (NO2), resulting in nitro ethane (C2H5NO2).

**Conclusion:**

  • The product of this reaction is nitro ethane.
  • This results because the nitrogen acts as a nucleophile, leading to the formation of a nitro compound instead of an alkyl nitrite.

Thus, the correct answer is: nitro ethane.

Was this answer helpful?
0