Steric hindrance to hydrogen bonding occurs when the alkyl group is larger than -CH₃, affecting the order of basic strength. The nature of the alkyl group, changing from -CH₃ to -C₂H₅, leads to a shift in the order of basic strength.
How does steric hindrance to hydrogen bonding influence the basic strength of alkyl amines, and what happens when the alkyl group changes from -CH₃ to -C₂H₅?
Share
Steric hindrance to hydrogen bonding in alkyl amines diminishes basic strength. As the alkyl group changes from -CH₃ to -C₂H₅, the increase in size and bulk of the ethyl group hinders effective hydrogen bonding. While both methylamine and ethylamine can form hydrogen bonds, the larger ethyl group experiences greater steric hindrance, reducing the accessibility of the lone pair on nitrogen. This impedes the interaction with protons and weakens the basic character of ethylamine compared to methylamine. The steric hindrance to hydrogen bonding is a key factor influencing the basic strength of alkyl amines with varying alkyl substituents.