Secondary amines nitrous acid reaction

Synthesis. The classic laboratory synthesis of /V-nitrosamines is the reaction of a secondary amine with acidic nitrite [14797-65-0] at ca pH 3. The primary nitrosating intermediate is N2O2 arising from nitrous acid [7782-77-6] (48). 

Some of the most important reactions of amines are brought about by nitrous acid (HONO). The character of the products depends very much on whether the amine is primary, secondary, or tertiary. In fact, nitrous acid is a useful reagent to determine whether a particular amine is primary, secondary, or tertiary. With primary amines nitrous acid results in evolution of nitrogen gas with secondary amines insoluble yellow liquids or solid 7V-nitroso compounds, R2N—N=0, separate tertiary alkanamines dissolve in and react with nitrous acid solutions without evolution of nitrogen, usually to give complex products ... 

The reaction which takes place between dimethylamine and nitrous acid is of importance, as it is an example of a general reaction used to distinguish secondary amines from the other classes of amines. Nitrous acid reacts with dimethylamine and forms a substance which belongs to the class known as nitroso compounds —... 

The most important reaction of the diazonium salts is the condensation with phenols or aromatic amines to form the intensely coloured azo compounds. The phenol or amine is called the secondary component, and the process of coupling with a diazonium salt is the basis of manufacture of all the azo dyestuffs. The entering azo group goes into the p-position of the benzene ring if this is free, otherwise it takes up the o-position, e.g. diazotized aniline coupled with phenol gives benzeneazophenol. When only half a molecular proportion of nitrous acid is used in the diazotization of an aromatic amine a diazo-amino compound is formed. 

Some reference to the use of nitrous acid merits mention here. Primary aromatic amines yield diazonium compounds, which may be coupled with phenols to yield highly-coloured azo dyes (see Section IV,100,(iii)). Secondary aromatic amines afford nitroso compounds, which give Liebermann a nitroso reaction Section IV,100,(v). Tertiary aromatic amines, of the type of dimethylaniline, yield p-nitroso derivatives see Section IV,100,(vii). ... 

Nitrosation (Section 22 15) The reaction of a substance usu ally an amine with nitrous acid Pnmary amines yield dia zonium 10ns secondary amines yield N nitroso amines Tertiary aromatic amines undergo nitrosation of their aro matic ring... 

Cycloaliphatic amines are strong bases with chemistry similar to that of simpler primary, secondary, or tertiary amines. Upon reaction with nitrous acid,... 

Reaction with Nitrous Acid. Primary, secondary, and tertiary aromatic amines react with nitrous acid to form a variety of products. Primary aromatic amines form diazonium salts. ... 

If primary or secondary amines are used, A/-substituted amides are formed. This reaction is called aminolysis. Hydra2ines yield the corresponding hydra2ides, which can then be treated with nitrous acid to form the a2ides used in the Curtius rearrangement. Hydroxylamines give hydroxamic acids. 

Ring nitrosation with nitrous acid is normally carried out only with active substrates such as amines and phenols. However, primary aromatic amines give diazonium ions (12-47) when treated with nitrous acid, " and secondary amines tend to give N-nitroso rather than C-nitroso compounds (12-49) hence this reaction is normally limited to phenols and tertiary aromatic amines. Nevertheless secondary aromatic amines can be C-nitrosated in two ways. The N-nitroso compound first obtained can be isomerized to a C-nitroso compound (11-32), or it can be treated with another mole of nitrous acid to give an N,C-dinitroso compound. Also, a successful nitrosation of anisole has been reported, where the solvent was CF3COOH—CH2CI2. " ... 

When secondary amines are treated with nitrous acid, N-nitroso compounds (also called nitrosamines) are formed. The reaction can be accomplished with dialkyl-, diaryl-, or alkylarylamines, and even with mono-N-substituted amides RCONHR -I-HONO RCON(NO)R. Tertiary amines have also been N-nitrosated, but in these cases one group cleaves, so that the product is the nitroso derivative of a secondary amine.The group that cleaves appears as an aldehyde or... 

Reaction between secondary amines or amides and nitrous acid... 

With such a diversity of N-nItrosatlon pathways theoretically possible. It Is comforting to note that only a few combinations of circumstances have been Implicated In environmental nitrosamlne formation thus far. Two of these are so facile and prevalent that, as of 20 years ago, they were the only recognized mechanisms of N-nItrosatlon. They Involve the Interaction of di-or trisubstituted ammonia derivatives with a nitrite Ion, as Illustrated In Figure 1 for the secondary amines, under the catalytic Influence of acid. Note the Important special cases of nucleophilic displacement of water from the nitrous acldlum Ion, H20-N0 , by a second nitrite Ion to yield NoOo (as in the reaction at the top of Figure 1), and by nitrate (bottom of Figure... 

The reaction of secondary amines with aqueous nitrous acid generates /V-nitroso compounds (Eq. 11.5). Such a nitrosation occurs with both aromatic and aliphatic secondary amines.6... 

Reaction of amines with nitrous acids Primary Secondary Primary RNH2 + HONCM>N2 + other products Secondary R2NH + HONO—>R2N—NO... 

Secondary amines. The reaction of secondary amine type compounds with nitrous acid (HO NO) has been reviewed extensively by Turney and Wright (17), Ridd (18), Scanlan (19) and Mirvish (20). In a system containing (HO NO) as the nitrosating agent, the possible nitrosyl carriers are (H2O NO), (NO2 NO) and (NO+). The reactivity of (NO+) is very low and it is not considered an effective nitrosating form. Nitrous acidium ion (H2O NO+) plays a significant role only at concentrated acidic condi tions. Therefore, it seems likely that at the dilute acidic conditions that are encountered in the environment, it is nitrous anhydride (N2O3 = NO2 NO) which nitrosates secondary amines. 

In Table 1 is a list of the environmental secondary and tertiary amines which have been tested by feeding to rats together with nitrite. Of these, several react very readily with nitrite in acid solution, but some, for example phenmetrazine (2 , 27), give rise to a noncarcinogenic N-nitroso derivative. On the other hand, aminopyrine reacts extremely readily with nitrous acid, although it is a tertiary amine, and forms the potent carcinogen nitrosodimethylamine in high yield (28, ). The other amines vary considerably in the extent to which they form N-nitroso derivatives by reaction with nitrous acid, especially at the relatively low concentrations which model human exposure more closely... 

Chemists have long been aware that amines can react with various nitrosating agents, under a variety of conditions, to form a wide array of N-nitroso derivatives (1 ). It was generally assumed that only secondary amines can effectively form stable N-nitrosamines. However, it has now become apparent that primary and tertiary amines, as well as tetraalkylammonium salts, can all form N-nitroso derivatives under the appropriate reaction conditions (2-10). It has also become apparent that there are several mechanisms possible for the formation of the most common N-nitroso derivatives. Thus, in addition to the more customary reaction of an amine with nitrous acid, N-nitroso derivatives can also form via the reaction of an amine with NO (NO2, N2O3, N2O4) ( ). Amines can also be transnitrosated with already formed N-N-nitroso or C-nitro compounds via a transnitrosation reaction, they can be converted into their N-nitroso derivatives ). 

In the aliphatic series, primary amines are deaminated by nitrous acid, secondary aliphatic amines are A-nitrosated, while tertiary aliphatic amines form salts in the acidic medium followed by secondary reactions such as dealkylation [1, 21a, b]. 

Recently [35a] it has been found that, contrary to common belief, tertiary aliphatic amines react with aqueous nitrous acid to undergo dealkylation to form a carbonyl compound, a secondary nitrosoamine, and nitrous oxide. Base-weakening groups markedly reduce nitrosative cleavage, and quaterniza-tion prevents it completely. Several examples of this reaction are shown in Table II. 

On treatment of certain other tertiary aromatic amines with nitrous acid, it has been found that either C-nitroso compounds, nuclear nitro compounds, or jV-nitrosoamines are formed with loss of an alkyl group. In the case of the nitrodimethylanilines, the latter two types of reaction may occur. The formation of nitro-jV-nitrosomethylanilines predominate at room temperature, whereas the formation of polynitro compounds predominates at more elevated temperatures. The formation of nitrosoamines from iVW-dimethylanilines appears to be particularly favored when both ortho positions are occupied by nitro groups, although /V-nitroso compounds were also obtainable from other nitrodimethylanilines. The product of the reaction, of course, is an /V-nitroso secondary amine. 

Reaction CXXIV. Action of Nitrous Acid on Secondary Amines, and subsequent Rearrangement of the Products. 

Chemical classification of the amine function. The classification of primary, secondary or tertiary amines should be carried out by means of the reaction with nitrous acid. 

The formation of Af-nitrosamines which usually separate as orange-yellow oils or low melting solids indicates the presence of a secondary amine. Confirm the formation of the nitrosamine by the Liebermann nitroso reaction. This consists in warming the nitrosamine with phenol and concentrated sulphuric acid. The sulphuric acid liberates nitrous acid from the nitrosamine, and the nitrous acid reacts with the phenol to form p-nitrosophenol, which then combines with another molecule of phenol to give red indophenol. In alkaline solution the red indophenol yields a blue indophenol anion. 

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