Amines exhibit basic character by reacting with acids to form salts. Amine salts, soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents like ether, can be regenerated to the parent amine when treated with a base such as NaOH.
Share
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
Amines exhibit basic character by reacting with acids to form salts. Amine salts, soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents like ether, can be regenerated to the parent amine when treated with a base such as NaOH.
Amines exhibit basic character due to the presence of a lone pair on the nitrogen atom. This lone pair can readily accept a proton (H⁺), making amines capable of reacting with acids to form salts. In this acid-base reaction, the amine donates its lone pair to the proton from the acid, forming an ammonium ion. The resulting ammonium salt is positively charged and water-soluble. The basicity of amines depends on the availability of the lone pair, and primary amines are generally more basic than secondary, and secondary more than tertiary amines, reflecting the ease of donating the lone pair to a proton.