Nitrogen-Containing Organic Compounds — A/L Chemistry

What must I remember about Nitrogen-Containing Organic Compounds?

• Amines act as Lewis bases and nucleophiles due to the unshared lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom.
• Aqueous basicity order of aliphatic amines: Secondary > Primary > Tertiary > Ammonia (balanced by inductive electron donation, hydration energy, and steric effects).
• Aromatic amines (aniline) are much weaker bases than aliphatic amines because the nitrogen lone pair delocalizes into the benzene aromatic ring.
• Arenediazonium salts (e.g. C₆H₅N₂⁺Cl⁻) are prepared by reacting primary aromatic amines with nitrous acid (NaNO₂/HCl) at cold temperatures (0–5 °C).
• Azo dyes are formed through electrophilic coupling reactions between arenediazonium cations and activated aromatic compounds (phenols in alkaline solution).

Test yourself (1 minute)

1. Nitrous acid diagnostic test

   Primary aliphatic amines react at 0–5 °C to evolve N₂ gas bubbles vigorously; Primary aromatic amines form stable arenediazonium salts.

2. What does Hofmann bromamide degradation do to a primary amide?

   Hofmann bromamide degradation converts a primary amide into a primary amine with one less carbon atom: R-CONH₂ + Br₂ + 4KOH → R-NH₂ + K₂CO₃ + 2KBr + 2H₂O.

3. Carbylamine test

   Heating primary amines with CHCl₃ and alcoholic KOH produces foul-smelling isocyanides (carbylamines).

Practise Nitrogen-Containing Organic Compounds questions today

Source: NIE G.C.E. (A/L) Chemistry Syllabus (Unit 10)

What should I study first?

Next in the syllabus

Where does Nitrogen-Containing Organic Compounds fit in the syllabus?

Grade 12 · Term 3