What is the Difference Between Finkelstein and Swarts Reaction?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The Finkelstein and Swarts reactions are both halogen exchange reactions associated with the synthesis of alkyl halides, which are important in organic synthesis processes. The key difference between the two reactions lies in the end products:
- Finkelstein Reaction: This process produces alkyl iodide as the end product. The reactant for the Finkelstein reaction can be primary halides, secondary halides, allyl halides, and benzyl halides, but it is not applicable for tertiary reactions, vinyl, and aryl halides.
- Swarts Reaction: This reaction produces alkyl fluoride as the end product. It is generally used to obtain fluorides from alkyl chlorides or alkyl bromides by heating the alkyl chloride/bromide in the presence of the fluoride of some heavy metals.
Both reactions involve the exchange of halides according to their reactivity, with sodium iodide being the nucleophile in the Finkelstein reaction and metallic fluorides like AgF, Hg2F2, CoF2, or SbF3 being used in the Swarts reaction.
Comparative Table: Finkelstein vs Swarts Reaction
The Finkelstein and Swarts reactions are both halogen exchange reactions involving alkyl halides. Here is a table comparing the differences between the two reactions:
| Finkelstein Reaction | Swarts Reaction |
|---|---|
| End product is an alkyl iodide | End product is an alkyl fluoride |
| Reactants can be primary halides, secondary halides, allyl halides, and benzyl halides. Does not occur for tertiary reactions, vinyl, and aryl halides | Reactants are either alkyl chloride or alkyl bromide along with a fluorinating agent (Swarts Reagent) |
| Uses an excess amount of halide salt to drive the reaction towards completion | Converts alkyl chlorides or alkyl bromides into alkyl fluorides by heating them with metallic fluorides |
| Reaction is an SN2 reaction or bimolecular reaction | Follows an SN2 reaction mechanism |
Both reactions involve the exchange of halides between organic compounds (or organic and inorganic compounds), but their products and specific conditions vary.
- Sandmeyer Reaction vs Gattermann Reaction
- Gattermann vs Gattermann Koch Reaction
- Wittig vs Wittig Horner Reaction
- Fischer vs Schrock Carbene
- Wittig Reaction vs Wittig Rearrangement
- Schiff Base vs Schiff’s Reagent
- Schottky Defect vs Frenkel Defect
- Fischer Esterification vs Steglich Esterification
- Friedel Crafts Acylation vs Alkylation
- Stereospecific vs Stereoselective Reactions
- Synthesis Reaction vs Substitution Reaction
- Gilman vs Grignard Reagent
- SN1 vs SN2 Reactions
- Elementary vs Non Elementary Reaction
- Addition vs Substitution Reaction
- Elementary vs Complex Reaction
- Kinetic vs End Point Reaction
- Fraunhofer vs Fresnel Diffraction
- Homogeneous vs Heterogeneous Reactions