Given below are two statements : Statement-I : Methane can be prepared by decarboxylation of sodium ethanoate, Kolbe's electrolysis of sodium acetate and reaction of $\mathrm{CH}_3\mathrm{MgBr}$ with water. Statement-II : Methane cannot be prepared from unsaturated hydrocarbons and by Wurtz reaction. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.

(D) Statement-I is false but Statement-II is true.

(A) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are true.

(B) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are false.

(C) Statement-I is true but Statement-II is false.

JEE Main · 2026 · 06 Apr 2026 · Shift 1 · Hydrocarbons

Given below are two statements :

Statement-I : Methane can be prepared by decarboxylation of sodium ethanoate, Kolbe's electrolysis of sodium acetate and reaction of

CH_{3} MgBr

with water.

Statement-II : Methane cannot be prepared from unsaturated hydrocarbons and by Wurtz reaction.

In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.

(A)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are true.
(B)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are false.
(C)Statement-I is true but Statement-II is false.
(D)Statement-I is false but Statement-II is true.✓ Correct

Answer: (D)

Solution

Methane is obtained by decarboxylation of sodium ethanoate (

C H_{3} COONa + NaOH CaO C H_{4} + N a_{2} C O_{3}

) and by hydrolysis of

C H_{3} MgBr

(

C H_{3} MgBr + H_{2} O \to C H_{4} + Mg (OH) Br

), but Kolbe's electrolysis of sodium acetate couples two methyl units to give ethane, not methane; hence Statement-I, which lists Kolbe's electrolysis as a route to methane, is false.

Both hydrogenation of an unsaturated hydrocarbon and the Wurtz reaction yield products of at least two carbon atoms, so neither can give single-carbon methane; Statement-II is true.

Statement-I is false and Statement-II is true.

JEE Main · 2026 · 06 Apr 2026 · Shift 1 · Single correct option

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JEE Main · 2026 · 06 Apr 2026 · Shift 1 · Hydrocarbons

Solution

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