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Fittig reaction template
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Sodium gives an electron to each bromobenzene, which loses Br⁻ to a phenyl radical; two phenyl radicals pair up to give biphenyl.
Mechanism step by step
Two aryl halides with sodium in dry ether give a biaryl
- Electron transfer – Na gives one electron; Br⁻ leaves and a phenyl radical forms (twice)
- Radical coupling – Two phenyl radicals pair their electrons: biphenyl
Key points
- Shown: the free-radical pathway usually taught for Fittig; an organosodium pathway is also proposed.
- Aryl halides cannot undergo SN2, so the C–C bond forms by two aryl radicals pairing.
- With an alkyl halide as well it becomes the Wurtz–Fittig reaction.
- Today biaryls are usually made by Ullmann (Cu) or Suzuki (Pd) coupling.
Drawn with 62 atoms, 8 arrows, 4 shapes – every one editable in MolDraw.
Sources
How to use this template
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Fittig reaction template free?
You can preview the Fittig reaction template here and open and edit it in MolDraw for free. Downloading or exporting it is part of MolDraw Pro, together with the other premium templates.
Can I edit the Fittig reaction template?
Yes. It opens as an ordinary MolDraw drawing, so every structure, arrow, label and colour can be changed, and you can add your own content around it.
Is the chemistry checked?
Every structure is checked with RDKit and every curly arrow passes MolDraw’s electron-flow audit. The sources used are listed on this page.
Which name reactions are included?
Over seventy, covering the reactions most often asked in school-leaving exams (A-level, IB, CBSE, JEE and NEET) and first-year university courses, including condensations, rearrangements, oxidations, reductions and aromatic substitutions.