Aliphatic amines are named by prefixing the alkyl group to “amine” as one word (e.g., methylamine). In secondary and tertiary amines with identical alkyl groups, the prefix di or tri is added before the alkyl group name.
How are aliphatic amines named in the common system, and what is the naming convention for secondary and tertiary amines with similar alkyl groups?
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In the common system, aliphatic amines are named by adding the suffix “-amine” to the name of the alkyl groups attached to the nitrogen atom. For example, CH₃NH₂ is methylamine, and C₂H₅NH₂ is ethylamine. Secondary and tertiary amines with similar alkyl groups are named using the N-alkyl prefix to indicate the alkyl substituents attached directly to the nitrogen atom. For instance, (CH₃)₂NH is dimethylamine, and (CH₃)₃N is trimethylamine. This naming convention specifies the number and nature of alkyl substituents on the amine nitrogen, providing a systematic and descriptive approach to nomenclature.