Nitrogen Compounds Aims: To know that these include amines, amides, nitro compounds, nitriles and amino acids. To know that amines are derivatives of ammonia. To know that they are categorised as primary, secondary and tertiary amines by the number of hydrogen atoms substituted by alkyl chains. To know that amines, like ammonia are BASES. To explain the basicity of amines in terms of proton acceptance by the nitrogen lone pair. To describe the reactions of amines with acids to form salts.

Nitrogen Compounds Amines are organic derivatives of ammonia. Ammonia is NH 3. If H atoms are replaced by alkyl chains then the compound formed is an amine. NH 3 ammonia C 2 H 5 NH 2 ethylaminePrimary amine (C 2 H 5 ) 2 NHdiethylamineSecondary amine (C 2 H 5 ) 3 N triethylamine Tertiary amine

Properties of Amines Amines are described as having a fishy smell (because when fish start to go off they produce amines as decomposition products such as putrescine NH 2 (CH) 4 NH 2 and cadaverine NH 2 (CH 2 ) 5 NH 2.) Short chain amines are gaseous and very soluble in water. Melting points and boiling points increase with increasing chain length. Solubility in water decreases with increasing chain length.