Organic Chemistry

Section 2.7 Nomenclature of Amines 77

PROBLEM 13

Draw the structures of a homologous series of alcohols that have from one to six carbons,

and then give each of them a common name and a systematic name.

PROBLEM 14

Give each of the following compounds a systematic name, and indicate whether each is a

primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohol:

a. d.

b. e.

c. f.

PROBLEM 15

Write the structures of all the tertiary alcohols with molecular formula and give

each a systematic name.

2.7 Nomenclature of Amines

Amines are compounds in which one or more of the hydrogens of ammonia have been

replaced by alkyl groups. Smaller amines are characterized by their fishy odors. Fer-

mented shark, for example, a traditional dish in Iceland, smells exactly like trieth-

ylamine. There are primary amines,secondary amines, and tertiary amines. The

classification depends on how many alkyl groups are bonded to the nitrogen. Primary

amines have one alkyl group bonded to the nitrogen, secondary amines have two, and

tertiary amines have three.

Notice that the number of alkyl groups attached to the nitrogendetermines whether an

amine is primary, secondary, or tertiary. For an alkyl halide or an alcohol, on the other

hand, the number of alkyl groups attached to the carbonto which the halogen or the

OH is bonded determines the classification (Sections 2.4 and 2.6).

The common name of an amine consists of the names of the alkyl groups bonded to

the nitrogen, in alphabetical order, followed by “amine.”The entire name is written as

NH 2 RClC COH

carbon is attached

to three alkyl groups

a primary amine a tertiary alkyl chloride a tertiary alcohol

nitrogen is attached

to one alkyl group

R

RR

R

R

C

R

R

R

NH 3 RRNHNH 2

a secondary amine

N

ammonia a primary amine a tertiary amine

RR

R R

C 6 H 14 O,

CH 3 CH 2 OH

Cl

OH

CH 3

CH 3 CCH 2 CH 2 CH 2 Cl

CH 3 OH CH 3

CH 3 CH 3 CHCH 2 CHCH 2 CHCH 2 CH 3

HO

CH 3 OH

CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OH CH 3 CHCH 2 CHCH 2 CH 3

The number of alkyl groups attached to

the nitrogen determines whether an

amine is primary, secondary, or tertiary.

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