CHEMISTRY GUIDE

This page summarises the reactions of amines as nucleophiles. This includes their reactions with halogenoalkanes (haloalkanes or alkyl halides), with acyl chlorides (acid chlorides) and with acid anhydrides. All of these reactions are dealt with in detail on other pages and you will find links to all of these. Note:   If you are mainly interested in phenylamine (aniline), its reactions are summarised in another section. You will find a link at the bottom of this page. It might be a good idea to read the current page first, though. The nucleophilic properties of amines Why do amines act as nucleophiles? A nucleophile is something which is attracted to, and then attacks, a positive or slightly positive part of another molecule or ion. All amines contain an active lone pair of electrons on the very electronegative nitrogen atom. It is these electrons which are attracted to positive parts of ot...