Naming Amines
Ever wondered how scientists name those nitrogen-containing compounds in medications? Amines are classified by the number of alkyl chains attached to the nitrogen atom: primary amines (one alkyl chain), secondary amines (two alkyl chains), and tertiary amines (three alkyl chains).
For common naming, amines are named as alkylamines. Simply list the alkyl groups attached to the nitrogen in alphabetical order followed by "amine." For example, CH₃-CH₂-NH₂ is ethylamine, while CH₃-NH-CH₃ is dimethylamine.
In IUPAC naming, amines are named as alkanamines. The longest carbon chain is identified, numbered to give the amine group the lowest possible number, and the -e in the alkane name is replaced with -amine. For secondary and tertiary amines, the N-alkyl groups are specified using "N-" prefix.
Chemistry Tip: When amines appear as branches in molecules with oxygen-containing functional groups, they're named as "amino" −NH2, "N-alkylamino" −NHR, or "N,N-dialkylamino" −NR2 groups.
When practicing, try naming compounds both ways: CH₃-CH₂-NH₂ is ethylamine (common) or ethanamine (IUPAC). You'll get the hang of it quickly!