Question

Convert Ethanamine to Methanamine?

Answer 1

Conversion of Ethanamine to Methanamine:
Step 1: Conversion of Ethanamine into Ethanol using Diazonium salt:

Methenamine can be prepared from Ethanamine, firstly by using $$HN{O}_2$$which gives ethyl alcohol as the product.
${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2{\mathrm{NH}}_2\underset{{\mathrm{N}}_2,-{\mathrm{H}}_2}{\overset{{\mathrm{HNO}}_2}{\to }}{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}$

Step 2: Oxidation of Ethanol to Acetaldehyde followed by Ethanoic acid :

Ethyl alcohol is then oxidized to acetaldehyde which is then oxidized to ethanoic acid.

${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}\stackrel{{\mathrm{K}}_2{\mathrm{Cr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7\left[\mathrm{O}\right]}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}$

${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}\stackrel{{\mathrm{K}}_2{\mathrm{Cr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7/{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left[\mathrm{O}\right]}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}$7258

Step 3: conversion of Ethanoic acid into Ethanamide which is an Amide group:

Now, Ethanoic acid is heated with ammonia to form Ethanamide.

${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\underset{∆}{\overset{{\mathrm{NH}}_3}{\to }}{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CONH}}_2$

Step 4: Converting ethanamide into methanamine by Hoffman Bromamide Reaction:

When Ethanamide is treated with alc.$\mathrm{NaOH}\mathrm{or}\mathrm{KOH}$ in the presence of Bromine, it gives Methanamine as the final product which consists of one Carbon atom less than the Ethanamide.

${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CONH}}_2\stackrel{{\mathrm{Br}}_2/\mathrm{KOH}}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{NH}}_2$

Hence, in the above-mentioned steps, we can Convert Ethanamine to Methanamine.