6.5.1
Nature & Preparation of Amines (A2 Only)
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Nature of Amines
Amines are organic compounds that contain nitrogen. They can be thought of as alkylated forms of ammonia (e.g. NRH2). You can have both aliphatic and aromatic amines.

Aliphatic amines
- Aliphatic amines are amines containing aliphatic -R groups, such as alkyl chains.
- The alkyl chain may be as short as methyl, or much longer.

Aromatic amines
- Aromatic amines share the same general formula as aliphatic amines.
- But aromatic amines must have an aromatic -R group.

Amides
- Amides are different to amines but we must also be able to identify them - they crop up throughout this course.
- An amide contains a -RCONH2 group, as shown above.
Classification of Amines
Amines, both aliphatic and aromatic, can be classified into primary, secondary and tertiary amines.

Primary amines
- Primary amines contain ONE -R group and TWO -H groups.
- NRH2.

Secondary amines
- Secondary amines contain TWO -R groups and ONE -H group.
- NR2H.

Tertiary amines
- Tertiary amines contain THREE -R groups and NO -H groups.
- NR3.

Ammonium ions
- Under certain conditions, there is a possibility of a fourth group being added through a dative covalent bond.
- This is possible because of the lone pair on the nitrogen.
- An example is methylamine, N(CH3)H2 in acid; N(CH3)H3+
- These molecules are called ammonium ions and are often found as ammonium salts. This is because the ion is much more stable in this form.
Preparation of Amines
We will consider ways to prepare aliphatic and aromatic amines.

Halogenoalkane and ammonia
- We can produce amines by heating halogenoalkanes with excess ammonia.
- Above shows the mechanism of how this happens.
- The overall reaction is:
- NH3 + CH3Cl → CH3NH2 + HCl

Halogenoalkane and ammonia
- There is one issue with this method.
- The primary amine produced is also nucleophilic because it too has a lone pair of electrons and can react with the halogenoalkane itself to produce a secondary amine.
- This process can happen again to produce a tertiary amine and a quaternary ammonium ion - as shown above.

Reducing a nitrile
- You can form an amine by the reduction of a nitrile in two ways.
- First method:
- LiAlH4.
- Dilute acid.
- In the equation above the [H] term represents the reducing agent which is LiAlH4!

Reducing a nitrile
- The previous method is good but LiAlH4 is expensive.
- Instead, the second method is catalytic hydrogenation.
- You need:
- Hydrogen gas.
- Metal catalyst e.g. platinium or nickel.
- High temperature and pressure.

Preparing aromatic amines
- These are produced by reducing nitrobenzene, a two step process.
- First step:
- Tin.
- Conc. HCl.
- Under reflux.
- This forms an ionic salt. To obtain the amine we carry out the second step:
- Add NaOH, a base.
1Physical Chemistry
1.1Atomic Structure
1.1.1Fundamental Particles1.1.2Isotopes & Mass Number1.1.3Mass Spectrometry1.1.4Electron Shells, Sub-Shells & Orbitals1.1.5Electron Configuration1.1.6Ionisation Energy1.1.7Factors Affecting Ionisation Energies1.1.8Trends of Ionisation1.1.9Specific Impacts on Ionisation Energies1.1.10End of Topic Test - Atomic Structure1.1.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Atomic Structure
1.2Amount of Substance
1.2.1Relative Masses1.2.2The Mole1.2.3The Ideal Gas Equation1.2.4Empirical & Molecular Formulae1.2.5Balanced Equations1.2.6Percentage Yield1.2.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Percentage Yield1.2.8Atom Economy1.2.9End of Topic Test - Amount of Substance1.2.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Substances & Yield1.2.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - Moles
1.3Bonding
1.3.1Ionic Bonding1.3.2Covalent & Dative Bonding1.3.3Carbon Structures1.3.4Metallic Bonding1.3.5Physical Properties1.3.6Shapes of Molecules1.3.7Polarity1.3.8Intermolecular Forces1.3.9Intermolecular Forces 21.3.10End of Topic Test - Bonding1.3.11Exam-Style Question - Shape of Molecules1.3.12A-A* (AO3/4) - Bonding1.3.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ions1.3.14Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ionic & Covalent1.3.15Diagnostic Misconceptions - Phase Change1.3.16Diagnostic Misconceptions - Boiling1.3.17Diagnostic Misconceptions - Polar Bonds
1.4Energetics
1.5Kinetics
1.6Equilibria
2Physical Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
2.1Thermodynamics (A2 Only)
2.2Rate Equations (A2 Only)
2.3The Equilibrium Constant Kp (A2 Only)
2.4Electrochemical Cells (A2 Only)
2.5Acids & Bases (A2 Only)
2.5.1Brønsted-Lowry Acids & Bases (A2 Only)2.5.2pH (A2 Only)2.5.3The Ionic Product of Water (A2 Only)2.5.4Weak Acids & Bases (A2 Only)2.5.5pH Curves & Titrations (A2 Only)2.5.6pH Curves & Titrations 2 (A2 Only)2.5.7Buffer Solutions (A2 Only)2.5.8End of Topic Test - Acids & Bases2.5.9Exam-Style Question - Weak Acids2.5.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Acids & Bases2.5.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ammonia is an Alkali2.5.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - Water's Neutrality2.5.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - Concentrate & Strength
3Inorganic Chemistry
3.1Periodicity & Trends
4Inorganic Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
4.1Period 3 (A2 Only)
4.2Transition Metals (A2 Only)
4.2.1General Properties (A2 Only)4.2.2Substitution Reactions (A2 Only)4.2.3Shapes of Complex Ions (A2 Only)4.2.4Colours of Ions (A2 Only)4.2.5Variable Oxidation States (A2 Only)4.2.6Titrations (A2 Only)4.2.7Homogeneous Catalysts (A2 Only)4.2.8Heterogeneous Catalysts (A2 Only)4.2.9End of Topic Test - Transition Metals4.2.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Transition Metals
4.3Reactions of Ions in Aqueous Solutions (A2 Only)
5Organic Chemistry 1
5.1Introduction
5.2Alkanes
5.3Halogenoalkanes
5.4Alkenes
5.5Alcohols
5.6Organic Analysis
5.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Organic 1
6Organic Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
6.1Optical Isomerism (A2 Only)
6.2Aldehydes & Ketones (A2 Only)
6.3Carboxylic Acids & Esters (A2 Only)
6.4Aromatic Chemistry (A2 Only)
6.5Amines (A2 Only)
6.6Polymers (A2 Only)
6.7Biological Organic (A2 Only)
6.8Organic Synthesis (A2 Only)
6.9NMR Spectroscopy (A2 Only)
6.10Chromatography (A2 Only)
6.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Organic 2
Jump to other topics
1Physical Chemistry
1.1Atomic Structure
1.1.1Fundamental Particles1.1.2Isotopes & Mass Number1.1.3Mass Spectrometry1.1.4Electron Shells, Sub-Shells & Orbitals1.1.5Electron Configuration1.1.6Ionisation Energy1.1.7Factors Affecting Ionisation Energies1.1.8Trends of Ionisation1.1.9Specific Impacts on Ionisation Energies1.1.10End of Topic Test - Atomic Structure1.1.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Atomic Structure
1.2Amount of Substance
1.2.1Relative Masses1.2.2The Mole1.2.3The Ideal Gas Equation1.2.4Empirical & Molecular Formulae1.2.5Balanced Equations1.2.6Percentage Yield1.2.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Percentage Yield1.2.8Atom Economy1.2.9End of Topic Test - Amount of Substance1.2.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Substances & Yield1.2.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - Moles
1.3Bonding
1.3.1Ionic Bonding1.3.2Covalent & Dative Bonding1.3.3Carbon Structures1.3.4Metallic Bonding1.3.5Physical Properties1.3.6Shapes of Molecules1.3.7Polarity1.3.8Intermolecular Forces1.3.9Intermolecular Forces 21.3.10End of Topic Test - Bonding1.3.11Exam-Style Question - Shape of Molecules1.3.12A-A* (AO3/4) - Bonding1.3.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ions1.3.14Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ionic & Covalent1.3.15Diagnostic Misconceptions - Phase Change1.3.16Diagnostic Misconceptions - Boiling1.3.17Diagnostic Misconceptions - Polar Bonds
1.4Energetics
1.5Kinetics
1.6Equilibria
2Physical Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
2.1Thermodynamics (A2 Only)
2.2Rate Equations (A2 Only)
2.3The Equilibrium Constant Kp (A2 Only)
2.4Electrochemical Cells (A2 Only)
2.5Acids & Bases (A2 Only)
2.5.1Brønsted-Lowry Acids & Bases (A2 Only)2.5.2pH (A2 Only)2.5.3The Ionic Product of Water (A2 Only)2.5.4Weak Acids & Bases (A2 Only)2.5.5pH Curves & Titrations (A2 Only)2.5.6pH Curves & Titrations 2 (A2 Only)2.5.7Buffer Solutions (A2 Only)2.5.8End of Topic Test - Acids & Bases2.5.9Exam-Style Question - Weak Acids2.5.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Acids & Bases2.5.11Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ammonia is an Alkali2.5.12Diagnostic Misconceptions - Water's Neutrality2.5.13Diagnostic Misconceptions - Concentrate & Strength
3Inorganic Chemistry
3.1Periodicity & Trends
4Inorganic Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
4.1Period 3 (A2 Only)
4.2Transition Metals (A2 Only)
4.2.1General Properties (A2 Only)4.2.2Substitution Reactions (A2 Only)4.2.3Shapes of Complex Ions (A2 Only)4.2.4Colours of Ions (A2 Only)4.2.5Variable Oxidation States (A2 Only)4.2.6Titrations (A2 Only)4.2.7Homogeneous Catalysts (A2 Only)4.2.8Heterogeneous Catalysts (A2 Only)4.2.9End of Topic Test - Transition Metals4.2.10A-A* (AO3/4) - Transition Metals
4.3Reactions of Ions in Aqueous Solutions (A2 Only)
5Organic Chemistry 1
5.1Introduction
5.2Alkanes
5.3Halogenoalkanes
5.4Alkenes
5.5Alcohols
5.6Organic Analysis
5.7A-A* (AO3/4) - Organic 1
6Organic Chemistry 2 (A2 Only)
6.1Optical Isomerism (A2 Only)
6.2Aldehydes & Ketones (A2 Only)
6.3Carboxylic Acids & Esters (A2 Only)
6.4Aromatic Chemistry (A2 Only)
6.5Amines (A2 Only)
6.6Polymers (A2 Only)
6.7Biological Organic (A2 Only)
6.8Organic Synthesis (A2 Only)
6.9NMR Spectroscopy (A2 Only)
6.10Chromatography (A2 Only)
6.11A-A* (AO3/4) - Organic 2
Practice questions on Nature & Preparation of Amines (A2 Only)
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- 1Two type of amine:Fill in the list
- 2How many bonds does the nitrogen in amine molecules have?Multiple choice
- 3
- 4Examples of amines:Fill in the list
- 5
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