Question

Identify how you could synthesize an enamine.

O React a ketone or an aldehyde with a secondary amine.
O React a ketone or an aldehyde with a primary amine.
O React a ylide with a primary amine.
O React a ylide with a secondary amine.

Answer 1

The correct answer is option 1. An enamine can be synthesized by reacting a ketone or an aldehyde with a secondary amine, through a nucleophilic attack and subsequent dehydration to form the enamine.

Step-by-step explanation:

To synthesize an enamine, you would need to react a ketone or an aldehyde with a secondary amine. This reaction involves the nucleophilic attack of the amine on the carbonyl carbon followed by dehydration to form the enamine.

The process differs from the formation of amides, where carboxylic acids react with amines or ammonia via amidation, releasing a water molecule. The synthesis of enamines doesn't involve carboxylic acids and is specifically characterized by the combination of a secondary amine with a ketone or aldehyde.

Additionally, while primary amines can react with ketones or aldehydes to form imines, secondary amines are required for the synthesis of enamines due to the need for one of the hydrogens on the nitrogen to be replaced by an alkyl group which can participate in the elimination of water to form the enamine structure.