Nitrogen Compounds Flashcards
Shape of the amine?
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary:
Trigonal planar
Quaternary ammonium ion:
Tetrahedral
Difference between phenylamine and phenylmethylamine?
Phenylamine has -nh2 group directly bonded to the benzene ring
Structural formula:
C6h5NH2
C6H5CH2NH2
Trend of boiling point:
Increases as the number of carbon atom increases
Strength of van der waals’ forces between molecules increases with increasing number of electrons.
(Same as other compounds)
For isomeric amines, what are the two factors affecting their boiling point?
Note: (id-Id
Hydrogen bonding:
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY AMINES form stronger hydrogen bonds between their molecules whereas TERTIARY only can form weaker van der waals forces.
(Primary amines have protonic hydrogen)
Permanent-dipole-permanent-dipole interactions
- POLAR amine molecules will have stronger pd-pd interactions between the molecules while other amine molecules only have id-Id interactions
Is amines soluble in water and why? What is trend of solubility as number of carbon increases
Yes. Ability to form hydrogen bonds with water.
Protonic hydrogen is now the H bonded to the O atom in the water molecule. (thus tertiary amines can be soluble in water)
Solubility decrease as number of carbon atom increases
Bulky, non-polar groups hinders formation of hydrogen bonds between amines and water molecule
Why can amines act as a base?
Availability of a lone pair of electrons on its N atom for protonation. It accepts the proton by forming a dative covalent bond with it.
RNH2 + H2O RNH3+ + OH-
Base strength of amines depend on:
Name 2
Availability of lone pair of electrons on N atom for protonation
Relative stability of the resultant cation formed
Factors that affect the availability of lone pair of electrons on N atom for protonation:
Presence of electron-donating groups:
Makes the lone pair of electrons on N atom of amine more available for protonation.
Presence of benzene ring:
P orbital of N atom overlaps with the pi electron cloud of the benzene ring. Lone pair of electrons on N atom is delocalised into benzene ring. –> less available for protonation.
Presence of electron-withdrawing groups:
Make the lone pair of electrons on N atom of amine less available for protonation.
Why does primary and secondary amides form dimers in their liquid phase?
Because amine has both the protonic hydrogen and a lone pair on a highly electronegative atom. Can form hydrogen bonds between the molecules.
Note: tertiary amides do not have protonic hydrogen
Is amide a base or an acid?
NONE.
Amide do not act as bases and are neutral to litmus in aqueous solution.
The p orbital of N atom overlaps with the pi electrons cloud of the neighboring carbonyl group. The lone pair of electrons on N atom is delocalised into the carbonyl group and not available for protonation.
(Very similar explanation to why phenylamine is weaker base than NH3)
What is amino acid?
Contains at least one amino group (NH2) and one carboxyl group (COOH)
Name and structure of commonly found human proteins.
a-amino acids where the NH2 group is directly bonded to the a-carbon
NH2CHRCOOH
Different amino acids have a different R group.
What is zwitterion? How does it form?
Species that has both positively and negatively charge groups is called a zwitterion.
Form that amino acids exist as in aqueous and solid state.
Amino acid undergo intermolecular acid-base reaction so that NH2 group gains a proton to become NH3+ and COOH lose a proton to become COO-.
Can have more than one NH2 or COOH group if the R group is NH2 or COOH group
Optical isomerism of amino acid?
All chiral except for glycine.
Melting point of amino acid?
High melting point
Strong electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged groups of the zwitterion
Solubility in water
Note: 2 ways to be soluble in water
- Hydrogen bonding
- Ion-dipole interaction with water
Amino acid is soluble in polar solvent and not soluble in non-polar solvent.
Zwitterion forms ion-dipole interaction with water molecules. (Read chem-bonding)
No effective interactions between the ions and molecules of non-polar solvent.