Amines are reactive due to the difference in electronegativity between nitrogen and hydrogen, as well as the presence of an unshared pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom. The number of hydrogen atoms attached to nitrogen determines the course of amine reactions, leading to differences in reactivity among primary, secondary, and tertiary amines.
What factors make amines reactive, and how does the number of hydrogen atoms attached to the nitrogen atom influence their reactivity?
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Amines are reactive due to the presence of a lone pair on the nitrogen atom, making them nucleophilic and basic. The reactivity of amines is influenced by the number of hydrogen atoms attached to nitrogen. Primary amines are more reactive than secondary, and secondary more than tertiary. This trend is attributed to steric hindrance; in tertiary amines, the larger alkyl groups hinder access to the lone pair, reducing reactivity. Additionally, the lone pair in primary amines is more available and can participate in reactions like nucleophilic substitution, whereas in tertiary amines, steric hindrance limits this reactivity.