Question

Methylamine on treatment with chloroform and ethanolic caustic alkali gives foul smelling compound, the compound is :

• A. ${CH}_{3}NCO$
• B. ${CH}_{3}CNO$
• C. ${CH}_{3}CN$
• D. ${CH}_{3}NC$

Answer 1

The correct option is D ${CH}_{3}NC$

Methylamine on treatment with chloroform and ethanolic caustic alkali gives foul smelling compound ${CH}_{3}NC$
This is carbylamine reaction.
Carbylamine reaction can be used to identify primary amino group in a given organic compound.
When primary amines are treated with chloroform and alcoholic KOH, they give isocyanides (carbylamines) having very unpleasant smell which can be easily detected.
$RN{H}_2+CHC{l}_3+3KOH\to RNC+3KCl+3H_{2}O$