CHEMISTRY GUIDE

This page looks at the reactions of nitrous acid with aliphatic amines (those where the amine group isn't attached directly to a benzene ring). Nitrous acid is properly called nitric(III) acid, but that name isn't commonly used. Reactions between nitrous acid and aromatic amines like phenylamine (where the -NH 2 group is attached directly to a benzene ring) are dealt with elsewhere. Note:   Unless you want to compare the reactions of aliphatic and aromatic amines with nitrous acid, if you are interested mainly in the reactions of phenylamine with nitrous acid , it would pay you to go straight to this page. Testing for the various types of amines Background The reaction between amines and nitrous acid was used in the past as a very neat way of distinguishing between primary, secondary and tertiary amines. However, the product with a secondary amine is a powerful carcinogen, and so this reacti...