Question

Explain with an example of the following reaction:

Finkelstein reaction

Answer 1

The Finkelstein reaction is a nucleophilic substitution reaction (S_N2) in which an alkyl halide is converted into another alkyl halide (usually alkyl iodide) by treatment with a halide salt (typically sodium iodide, NaI) in a polar aprotic solvent like acetone.

\[\ce{\underset{Bromoethane}{CH3-CH2-Br} + NaI ->[Acetone][Heat]\underset{Iodoethane}{CH3CH2I} + NaBr}\]