What happens when alkanamine reacts with methyliodide?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 29, 2017

Well, a primary amine is an excellent nucleophile....

Explanation:

....and a methyl iodide is a reasonable electrophile.

And thus both species can make music together ..... USUALLY in the presence of a non-nucleophilic base such as #Et_3N#.

#RNH_2 + H_3C-I + Et_3NrarrRNHCH_3 + Et_3N*HIdarr#

The non-nucleophilic base is there to sop up the #HI# produced....and this precipitates from solution as the quaternary ammonium salt.

Alternatively we could use two equiv of the starting alkylamine....

#H_3C-I + 2RNH_2 rarrRNHCH_3 + R_2NH*HIdarr#

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