Nucleophilic Properties of Amines

primary amines react with acid anyhydrides to form

a secondary amide and an ammonium salt

Primary amines can act as

nucleophile in nucleophilic addition-elimination reactions. 

primary amines also react with acyl chlorides to form

a secondary amide and an ammonium salt 

Mechanisms

ammonia and halogenoalkanes undergo….. to produce an amine. 

what is needed

nucleophilic substitution reaction

However, if there is excess halogenoalkane when ammoni and halgeonoalkanes react what happens

the primary amine can also act as a nucleophile. This means it can react again to produce a secondary amine. 

 

That secondary amine can then act as a nucleophile, and so on

a quaternary ammonium ion. 

When nitrogen is bonded to four alkyl groups

quaternary ammonium salt. 

When quaternary ammonium ions form a lattice with anions

When a quaternary ammonium ion has one long alkyl chain, what are the ends

it has a polar end and a non-polar end. 

 

quaternary ammonium ion useful properties:

it’s often used in cleaning products, as a cationic surfactant.