Question

How will you convert: (i) Ethanoic acid into methanamine (ii) Hexanenitrile into 1 -aminopentane (iii) Methanol to ethanoic acid (iv) Ethanamine into methanamine (v) Ethanoic acid into propanoic acid (vi) Methanamine into ethanamine (vii) Nitromethane into dimethylamine (viii) Propanoic acid into ethanoic acid?

Short answer

Each conversion involves specific organic reactions, such as reductions, oxidations, Grignard reactions, and decarboxylations.

Step-by-step solution

Ethanoic acid to methanamine

Convert ethanoic acid to methanamine by first reducing ethanoic acid to acetaldehyde using LiAlH4, then react with ammonia to form methanamine.

Hexanenitrile to 1-aminopentane

Perform a decarboxylation reaction where hexanenitrile first forms pentanoic acid by using sulfuric acid (H2SO4). Then, reduce pentanoic acid to 1-aminopentane using hydrogen gas (H2) and platinum (Pt) as a catalyst.

Methanol to ethanoic acid

Oxidize methanol to formaldehyde using an oxidizing agent like CuO, followed by further oxidation to formic acid, and finally to ethanoic acid by using potassium permanganate (KMnO4) or another strong oxidizing agent.

Ethanamine to methanamine

Convert ethanamine to methanamine via Hoffmann bromamide degradation by reacting ethanamine with bromine in an alkaline solution, which removes the carbon atom adjacent to the amino group.

Ethanoic acid to propanoic acid

Use a Grignard reaction by reacting ethanoic acid with ethyl magnesium bromide, followed by acidification to yield propanoic acid.

Methanamine to ethanamine

Convert methanamine to ethanamine by first forming an intermediate nitrile via heating with HCl then performing a reduction of the nitrile to ethanamine using LiAlH4.

Nitromethane to dimethylamine

Reduce nitromethane using Sn/HCl to form methylamine, then methylate the resulting amine using methyl iodide (CH3I) to form dimethylamine.

Propanoic acid to ethanoic acid

Decarboxylate propanoic acid using heat or an appropriate catalyst to remove the terminal carboxyl group, converting propanoic acid to ethanoic acid.

Key concepts

Ethanoic Acid Conversion

Ethanoic acid, commonly known as acetic acid, can be transformed into various types of chemical compounds through several reactions.
To convert ethanoic acid to methanamine, the process begins with the reduction of ethanoic acid to acetaldehyde using lithium aluminum hydride (LiAlH4). This powerful reducing agent breaks down the carboxylic acid into an aldehyde.
Afterward, acetaldehyde reacts with ammonia under controlled conditions to form methanamine.

• Reduction is essential in transforming the carboxylic group into an amino group through sequential reactions.
• This conversion showcases the importance of both reduction and subsequent reactions with ammonia to achieve the desired product.

Taking ethanoic acid through a Grignard reaction provides another conversion route: ethanoic acid to propanoic acid. Here, the acid reacts with ethyl magnesium bromide.
After the Grignard reagent adds to the carbonyl group of the acid, acidification yields propanoic acid.

• The Grignard reaction displays the versatility of ethanoic acid as a starting compound for chain elongation.

Nitrile Reduction

Nitrile groups in organic compounds can be efficiently reduced to amines, a valuable reaction for synthesizing primary amines.
For instance, the conversion of hexanenitrile to 1-aminopentane involves a two-step process:

• First, decarboxylation of hexanenitrile forms pentanoic acid using sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which removes the nitrile group.
• Then, the newly formed pentanoic acid undergoes reduction with hydrogen gas (H2) in the presence of a platinum (Pt) catalyst, ultimately yielding 1-aminopentane.

Similarly, converting methanamine to ethanamine through nitrile intermediates involves the formation of an intermediate nitrile by heating with hydrochloric acid (HCl).
This nitrile is then reduced with LiAlH4 to produce ethanamine.

• Nitrile reductions highlight the practical utility in constructing amines from various carbon chain lengths.

Oxidation Reactions

The transformation of alcohols to other functional groups often involves oxidation reactions. Methanol's conversion to ethanoic acid showcases this principle through a stepwise oxidation process:

• First, methanol oxidizes to produce formaldehyde. Copper(II) oxide (CuO) acts as an oxidizing agent here.
• Further oxidation of formaldehyde leads to formic acid, another step requiring an efficient oxidizing agent.
• Finally, strong oxidizers like potassium permanganate (KMnO4) convert formic acid into ethanoic acid.

Oxidation reactions are critical in increasing carbon oxidation states, enabling the transformation of simple alcohols into more complex acids.
Each step involves careful control of reaction conditions to achieve the desired product at each stage without over-oxidation.

Hoffmann Bromamide Degradation

The Hoffmann bromamide degradation reaction is an industrial method for decreasing the carbon chain length of amides, producing primary amines.
This reaction provides a pathway to convert ethanamine into methanamine.

• It involves reacting ethanamine with bromine in an alkaline solution; typically sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is used as the base.
• The reaction then undergoes the loss of one carbon atom adjacent to the amino group, reducing chain length.
• Ultimately, the amide is reduced to an amine lacking the original amide's carbon.

This reaction is advantageous for specifically shortening carbon chains while preserving the amine function, making it crucial in preparative organic chemistry.

Grignard Reaction

The Grignard reaction is a pivotal tool in carbon-carbon bond formation in organic chemistry, using organometallic reagents.
One exemplary application is in converting ethanoic acid to propanoic acid, involving ethyl magnesium bromide:

• The Grignard reagent, ethyl magnesium bromide, reacts with ethanoic acid, adding its ethyl group to the carboxylate component.
• The subsequent step is acidification, which regenerates the acid functional group, yielding propanoic acid.

This technique allows for the careful control of carbon chain expansion in a highly controlled manner, illustrating Grignard's role in synthetic organic transformations. Grignard reagents are unique for their ability to form new carbon-carbon bonds, being a staple in expanding chemical structures.

Methylation of Amines

Methylation transforms primary amines into secondary amines via the introduction of a methyl group. This is achieved by combining methyl iodide with the amine:

• In the reduction of nitromethane, methylamine forms initially using tin (Sn) and hydrochloric acid (HCl).
• Methyl iodide (CH3I) is then employed to methylate methylamine, forming dimethylamine, adding another methyl group to the nitrogen atom.

This technique is useful when modifying amines, allowing chemists to explore different amine derivatives with varying properties from basic methylamine to more substituted amines. Methylation is an essential transformation in the N-alkylation reaction category and is pivotal in synthesizing a variety of amines.

Simple Decarboxylation

Decarboxylation reactions remove carboxyl groups, simplifying organic molecules by shortening the carbon chain. This method is vital in organic chemistry when altering molecular structure like in transforming propanoic acid to ethanoic acid:

• The carboxyl group in propanoic acid is removed, triggered by heat or using a suitable catalyst.
• This results in a shorter chain acid, transitioning to ethanoic acid.

Through this simple reaction, the complexity of an organic molecule can be reduced, reflecting a critical strategy in structural modifications. Decarboxylation serves in refining carbon chain lengths in synthetic pathways, presenting chemists with options to yield specific shorter-chain acids.