Question

Is (CH₃)3N weaker than its conjugate?
1) Yes
2) No

Answer 1

CH3NH2 is the stronger base, while (CH3)3NH* is the stronger acid.

Step-by-step explanation:

The stronger base:

When comparing CH3NH2 and (CH3)2NH, we can look at their conjugate acids to determine the stronger base. The conjugate acid of CH3NH2 is CH3NH3+, while the conjugate acid of (CH3)2NH is (CH3)2NH2+. Since CH3NH3+ is more stable than (CH3)2NH2+ due to the presence of more electron-donating species, CH3NH2 is the stronger base.

The stronger acid:

The stronger acid can be determined by comparing the conjugate bases of (CH3)3N and (CH3)3NH*. The conjugate base of (CH3)3N is (CH3)3N, while the conjugate base of (CH3)3NH* is (CH3)3NH-. Since (CH3)3N is less stable than (CH3)3NH- due to the presence of fewer electron-donating substituents, (CH3)3NH* is the stronger acid.