Amines

• Amines are derived from ammonia (NH3) and are categorised into primary, secondary, and tertiary amines, depending on the number of hydrogen atoms in ammonia replaced by alkyl or aryl groups.

• Primary amines have one alkyl group attached to the nitrogen atom, secondary amines have two, and tertiary amines have three.

• Amines possess a lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom, enabling them to act as a base. They accept protons (H+ ions) thus forming ammonium ions.

• In terms of Nomenclature, primary amines are named with the suffix -amine. In secondary and tertiary amines, the largest alkyl group is taken as the root name, and other groups are prefixed as ‘N-substituent’.

• Amines can react with acids to form salts, this forms the basis of methods for their preparation and purification. Make sure you are familiar with the reaction conditions and reactants required for the preparation of amines.

• The nucleophilic behaviour of amines, which arises from their lone pair of electrons, allows them to take part in nucleophilic substitution and elimination reactions.

• Amides can be reduced to amines using lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH4) in dry ether, followed by hydrolysis.

• The reaction of amines with water produces alkaline solutions. Remember that this is a reversible reaction, and the position of the equilibrium depends on the strength of the amine as a base.

• Be aware of the important role of amines when exploring aspects of biochemistry such as proteins and DNA, as they are key components of amino acids and nucleotides.

• Amines can undergo electrophilic substitution reactions, particularly aromatic amines, which act as an activating group for the benzene ring.

• Finally, be aware of the environmental and health issues related to amines, including their odours and potentially harmful effects if ingested or inhaled.