BRAINCAKEBasicity of Amines
Amines are Brønsted-Lowry bases: the lone pair on the nitrogen atom can accept a proton (H+). In water, an amine removes a proton from a water molecule, so the solution contains excess hydroxide ions and is alkaline:
CH3CH2NH2 + H2O ⇌ CH3CH2NH3+ + OH−
Like ammonia, amines are weak bases, so the equilibrium lies to the left. How strong a base is depends on how available the nitrogen lone pair is to accept a proton.
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All 12 lessons in Amines, Amides, Amino Acids and Proteins · All Edexcel A-level Chemistry topics