Chapter 21 (Amines) Flashcards
Amine
A Nitrogen-based compound possessing one/two/three alkyl or aryl groups (bonded to the Nitrogen).
The reactivity of Amines differs greatly from other Nitrogen-containing compounds (i.e. Enamines, Amides, Imines, Iminiums, Ammoniums).
Enamine
A compound possessing an amino group adjacent to an alkene group.
Amide
A compound possessing an amino group adjacent to a carbonyl group.
The Nitrogen lone-pair electrons are in conjugation with the π electrons of the carbonyl group.
Imine
A compound possessing a Carbon-Nitrogen double bond.
Iminium Ion
A cationic compound possessing a Carbon-Nitrogen double bond and a quadruple-substituted Nitrogen.
Ammonium
A cationic Nitrogen compound with four alkyl/aryl substituents (bonded to the Nitrogen).
Amino Group
—NR2
R = Alkyl/Aryl/Hydrogen
Geometry: Simple Amines
Tetrahedral Geometry (sp3-Hybridized Nitrogen)
Geometry: Aryl Amines
Tetrahedral Geometry (sp3-Hybridized Nitrogen)
The aryl amine displays a tetrahedral-like geometry despite the weak conjugation between the Nitrogen lone pair and the aromatic π electrons. (This conjugation is significantly weaker than the conjugation present in amides, so the aryl amine is tetrahedral-like overall.)
Geometry: Amides
Planar Geometry (sp2-Hybridized Nitrogen)
The planar geometry of amides is caused by the strong conjugation between the Nitrogen lone pair and the carbonyl π electrons.
Why are Alkyl Amines more nucleophilic than Aryl Amines?
The Nitrogen lone-pair electrons of alkyl amines are better able to undergo nucleophilic attack due to the absence of conjugation to delocalize the electrons.
The Nitrogen lone-pair electrons of aryl amines are in conjugation with the aromatic π electrons, so they are less nucleophilic/reactive.
Reactivity: Enolate
β-Carbon Serves as Nucleophile
Reactivity: Amide
Carbonyl Carbon Serves as Electrophile
The Nitrogen lone pair cannot serve as the nucleophile.
Reactivity: Imine
Imine Carbon Serves as Electrophile
Imine Carbon = C=N
Reactivity: Ammonium
Hydrogen Serves as Acid
Acid-Base Reactions
Reactivity: Iminium
Iminium Carbon Serves as Electrophile
Imine Carbon = C=N+
Chirality of Amines
An amine is chiral if it possess three unique substituents (bonded to the Nitrogen atom).
Chiral amines are not optically active since the two enantiomers cannot be separated/isolated. (The enantiomers undergo rapid transversion through a trigonal planar transition state.)
Why are chiral amines not optically active?
The two enantiomers of chiral amines undergo rapid interconversion (through a trigonal planar intermediate state), so each individual enantiomer cannot be isolated.
pKa: Amines
pKa ≈ 35
Amines are weak acids and moderate bases.
pKa: Ammonium
pKa ≈ 10
Ammoniums are moderately acidic (i.e. more acidic than water/alcohol and less acidic than carboxylic acids).