Question

Ethylamine is a stronger base than acetamide. Give reason.

Answer 1

In acetamide , CH3CO-NH2 , the nitrogen atom is directly linked with an electron withdrawing carbonyl group causing the electron density to be decreased on the nitrogen atom.
Furthermore, the lone pair on the nitrogen atom is involved in delocalization (again reducing the e- density over N).Consider the resonance structure of acetamide.On the other hand the 'N' in ethylamine , CH3CH2-NH2 is bound to an electron releasing group (ethyl) and there is no delocalization of lone pair on the 'N'.Hence the e- density over the ethylamine 'N' is relatively high and available for a proton.So ethylamine is much stronger base than acetamide.