Themes > Science > Chemistry > Organic Chemistry > Families of Organic Compounds > Some Families of Organic Compounds > Amines Tutorial


Properties of Amines:

Amines are ammonia derivatives with one or more alkyl substituents attatched to it. They can be classified as primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary ammonium salts.

methyl amine dimethyl amine trimethylamine teramethylamine
Primary Amine Secondary Amine Tertiary Amine Quaternary Ammonium Salt

Nomenclature of Amines:

Common Names:
Common names for amines are formed from the alkyl groups bonded to the nitrogen, followed by the word amine. Di-, tri-, and tetra are used to describe identical substituents.

methyl amine dimethyl amine trimethylamine
Methyl amine Dimethyl amine Trimethyl amine

IUPAC Names:
Naming of amines is very similar to the naming of alcohols. The longest chain containing the amine is used as the root name. The -e ending in the naming of alkanes is changed to -amine, and a number gives the position of the amino group along the chain. Other substituents on the carbon chain are given numbers, and the prefix N- is used for each substituent on nitrogen.

2-butanamine N-methylbutanamine 3,N,N-trimethyl-2-butanamine
2-butanamine N-methyl
butanamine
3, N,N-trimethyl-2-butanamine


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