Q.What is the product when C6H5CH2NH2 reacts with HNO2?
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Nucleophilic Addition – From Intuition to Precision
Imagine you have a molecule with a carbon–oxygen double bond — a carbonyl group (C=O). That oxygen is greedy for electrons; it pulls them away from carbon, leaving the carbon slightly positive (δ+) and the oxygen slightly negative (δ−). Now, if you bring a species that is rich in electrons (a nucleophile, meaning "nucleus-loving"), it will naturally be attracted to that electron-deficient carbon. The nucleophile attacks the carbon, the π bond breaks, and the oxygen picks up a proton (or some other electrophile) to become stable. That, in a nutshell, is nucleophilic addition.
The key idea: a nucleophile adds across a polar multiple bond (usually C=O or C≡N), breaking the π bond and forming two new sigma bonds.
The Precise Statement
Nucleophilic addition is a reaction in which a nucleophile (an electron-rich species) forms a sigma bond with an electrophilic carbon atom of a polar multiple bond (typically a carbonyl group, C=O, or a nitrile, C≡N), while the π bond breaks. The resulting intermediate then captures a proton (or another electrophile) to give a neutral product.
In general form:
RX2C=O+NuX−HX+RX2C(OH)Nu
The nucleophile (NuX−) attacks the carbonyl carbon; the oxygen becomes negatively charged; then a proton (HX+) from the medium attaches to the oxygen, yielding an alcohol.
Why It Happens – The Driving Force
The carbonyl carbon is electrophilic because:
- Oxygen is more electronegative than carbon, so the C=O bond is polarised: CXδ+=OXδ−.
- The π bond is weaker than a σ bond, so it can break relatively easily.
A nucleophile (like OHX−, CNX−, or NHX3) has a lone pair or a negative charge. It seeks positive centres. The attack forms a new σ bond, and the π electrons move entirely to oxygen, creating an alkoxide ion (RX2C−OX−). This intermediate is then quenched by a proton.
A common mistake: thinking the nucleophile attacks the oxygen. No — oxygen is already electron-rich; the nucleophile goes to the carbon because it is electron-deficient.
A Concrete Example – Addition of HCN to a Ketone
Take acetone (CHX3COCHX3) and hydrogen cyanide (HCN). In the presence of a base, CNX− (the nucleophile) attacks the carbonyl carbon:
CHX3COCHX3+CNX−CHX3C(OX−)(CN)CHX3
The alkoxide intermediate then picks up a proton from HCN (or from water) to give a cyanohydrin:
CHX3C(OX−)(CN)CHX3+HX+CHX3C(OH)(CN)CHX3
The product is acetone cyanohydrin. Notice: two new sigma bonds formed (C−CN and O−H), and the π bond is gone.
What Makes a Good Nucleophile?
Strong nucleophiles are usually negatively charged or have lone pairs:
- OHX−, CNX−, NHX2X−, CHX3OX−, HX− (from hydride reagents like NaBHX4 or LiAlHX4)
- Neutral but polarisable: NHX3, HX2O (weaker, but can add under acidic conditions) …
Why this formula?
Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions: Why the Key Formulas Hold
Nucleophilic substitution reactions are a cornerstone of organic chemistry. Instead of just memorizing the rate laws, let's understand why they arise from the molecular events.
1. The Two Main Mechanisms: A Tale of Timing
The key formulas (rate laws) for nucleophilic substitution come directly from how many molecules are involved in the rate-determining step (RDS) — the slowest step that controls the overall reaction speed.
SN1: Unimolecular — The Leaving Group Goes First
The Rate Law:
Rate=k[RX]
Why?
The reaction happens in two steps:
- Slow step (RDS): The C–X bond breaks spontaneously, forming a carbocation intermediate. Only the substrate (RX) is involved.
RXslowR++X−
- Fast step: The nucleophile (Nu−) attacks the carbocation.
R++Nu−fastRNu
Since the slow step depends only on the concentration of RX, the rate law has no dependence on [Nu−]. The nucleophile arrives after the carbocation is formed — it cannot affect the speed of the first step.
Key insight: The rate is determined by how easily the leaving group leaves, not by how fast the nucleophile attacks.
SN2: Bimolecular — Simultaneous Attack and Departure
The Rate Law:
Rate=k[RX][Nu−]
Why?
The reaction occurs in one concerted step:
- The nucleophile attacks the carbon from one side at the same time as the leaving group departs from the opposite side.
- Both RX and Nu− must collide with the correct orientation and sufficient energy.
The rate depends on the frequency of productive collisions between the two molecules. This is directly proportional to the product of their concentrations:
Rate∝[RX]×[Nu−]
Key insight: Both partners are involved in the transition state simultaneously — if either is missing, the reaction cannot proceed.
2. The Transition State: Why the Formulas Are Not Just "Given"
For SN2, the transition state has a pentavalent carbon (five bonds partially formed/broken). The energy barrier depends on steric hindrance — bulkier groups around carbon make it harder for the nucleophile to approach, which is why SN2 is favored at primary carbons. …
The key idea is that primary aliphatic amines react with nitrous acid (HNO2) to form unstable diazonium salts, which spontaneously decompose to give a carbocation that can react further.
Reasoning steps:
- C6H5CH2NH2 is benzylamine — a primary amine. HNO2 is generated in situ from NaNO2 + HCl.
- The amine undergoes diazotization to form an aliphatic diazonium salt: C6H5CH2N2+Cl−.
- This aliphatic diazonium salt is highly unstable and immediately loses N2, producing a benzyl carbocation (C6H5CH2+). …
The reaction of benzylamine (C6H5CH2NH2) with nitrous acid (HNO2) proceeds via diazotization followed by spontaneous decomposition to give benzyl alcohol (C6H5CH2OH) as the major product, along with nitrogen gas.
Concept and Intuition
This question tests your understanding of nucleophilic substitution reactions — specifically, the reaction of primary amines with nitrous acid. The key here is that HNO2 is unstable and generated in situ (usually from NaNO₂ + dilute HCl). It reacts with a primary amine to form a diazonium salt.
But here’s the critical distinction:
- Aromatic primary amines (like aniline, C6H5NH2) form stable diazonium salts at low temperatures (0–5°C), which can be used in coupling reactions.
- Aliphatic primary amines (like benzylamine, C6H5CH2NH2) form highly unstable diazonium salts that immediately decompose, even at low temperatures, to give a carbocation — and then a mixture of products.
Benzylamine is special because it’s a benzylic primary amine: the –CH2NH2 group is attached directly to a benzene ring. The resulting carbocation (C6H5CH2+) is resonance-stabilized, making it relatively stable and leading to a cleaner product than with simple alkyl amines.
A common mistake is to treat benzylamine like an aromatic amine and expect a stable diazonium salt. Remember: the –NH2 group is on an sp3 carbon, not directly on the ring — so it behaves as an aliphatic primary amine, not an aromatic one.
Step-by-Step Solution
1. Formation of nitrous acid
HNO2 is prepared in the reaction mixture by mixing sodium nitrite with a dilute acid (typically HCl or H2SO4):
NaNO2+HCl→HNO2+NaCl
2. Diazotization of benzylamine
The primary amine group reacts with HNO2 to form an unstable diazonium salt:
C6H5CH2NH2+HNO2+HCl→[C6H5CH2N2+Cl−]+2H2O
This is the same type of reaction as with any primary amine — the –NH2 group is converted to –N2+.
3. Spontaneous decomposition
Unlike aromatic diazonium salts, this aliphatic diazonium salt is extremely unstable and decomposes instantly, even at 0°C, releasing nitrogen gas:
[C6H5CH2N2+]→C6H5CH2++N2↑
The loss of N2 is driven by the formation of an extremely stable N≡N triple bond.
4. Carbocation reacts with water …
Concept: Diazotisation & Sandmeyer Reaction / Decomposition of Primary Amines
Method: Diazotisation followed by Decomposition (for aliphatic vs. aromatic amines)
Why this method?
HNO2 (nitrous acid) reacts differently with primary aliphatic amines vs. primary aromatic amines.
- Aliphatic primary amines → give nitrogen gas (N2) and a carbocation, which forms an alcohol/alkene mixture.
- Aromatic primary amines → form stable diazonium salts at low temperature (0–5°C).
Here, C6H5CH2NH2 is benzylamine — a primary aliphatic amine (the NH2 is on a CH2 group, not directly on the ring).
Steps of the method:
-
Identify the amine type
- C6H5CH2NH2 = benzylamine (primary aliphatic amine).
-
Reaction with HNO2
- HNO2 is generated in situ from NaNO2+HCl (cold).
- The amine reacts to form an unstable diazonium salt (aliphatic diazonium salts are unstable even at low temperature).
-
Immediate decomposition
- The diazonium salt spontaneously decomposes to give:
- Nitrogen gas (N2) — seen as effervescence.
- A carbocation (C6H5CH2+). …
- The diazonium salt spontaneously decomposes to give:
The Reaction
The compound is benzylamine (C6H5CH2NH2).
When treated with nitrous acid (HNO2), the product is benzyl alcohol (C6H5CH2OH), along with nitrogen gas (N2).
Why?
Benzylamine is a primary aliphatic amine (the NH2 is attached to a CH2 group, not directly to the benzene ring).
HNO2 converts primary aliphatic amines into diazonium salts, which are unstable and spontaneously decompose to give a carbocation. This carbocation reacts with water to form an alcohol.
The balanced equation:
C6H5CH2NH2+HNO2→C6H5CH2OH+N2+H2O
Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
1. ✗ Mistaking benzylamine for an aromatic amine
- Error: Students think the NH2 is attached directly to the benzene ring (like aniline), so they predict a diazonium salt as the product.
- Why it’s wrong: In benzylamine, the NH2 is on a side chain — it’s aliphatic, not aromatic. Aromatic diazonium salts are stable at low temperatures; aliphatic ones decompose instantly.
- How to avoid: Always check where the NH2 is attached. If it’s on a carbon that is part of an alkyl chain (even if that chain is attached to a ring), treat it as aliphatic.
2. ✗ Forgetting that N2 gas is released
- Error: Writing only the alcohol as the product, omitting nitrogen gas.
- Why it’s important: N2 evolution is a key test for primary aliphatic amines — it’s often asked in exams.
- How to avoid: Memorize: primary aliphatic amine + HNO2 → alcohol + N2 + H2O. Always include N2 in the product list.
3. ✗ Writing the wrong alcohol
- Error: Writing phenol (C6H5OH) instead of benzyl alcohol.
- Why it’s wrong: The carbocation forms on the CH2 group, not on the ring. Water attacks that carbon, giving C6H5CH2OH.
- How to avoid: Track the carbon that originally held the NH2 — that’s where the OH ends up.
4. ✗ Confusing with the reaction of aniline
- Error: Applying the same logic as for aniline (C6H5NH2), which gives a stable diazonium salt at 0–5°C.
- Why it’s wrong: Aniline is an aromatic primary amine — its diazonium salt is stable in cold conditions. Benzylamine is aliphatic, so no stable diazonium salt forms.
- How to avoid: Distinguish clearly:
- Aromatic primary amine → stable diazonium salt (cold) …
- AP EAPCET 2026Set eng-2026-05-12-FN1 markMCQQ.In which of the following set/s reactant and reagent are correctly matched to get n-propylamine as major product? I. CH3CH2CH2Cl (1-chloropropane) ----- AgNO2,Fe/HCl II. CH3CH2Cl (chloroethane) ----- NaCN,H2/Ni III. CH3CH2CONH2 (propanamide) ----- Br2/OH− Correct answer is (A) II only (B) I, II (C) II, III (D) I, III
›Reveal solutionSolution
Two independent routes correctly build n-propylamine (nitro reduction of 1-chloropropane, and nitrile chain-extension + reduction of chloroethane); the Hofmann degradation route instead shortens the chain by one carbon, giving ethylamine.
Concept and Intuition
Three very different strategies for making primary amines are being tested, and the key discipline is to count carbons through each transformation, since some routes preserve chain length and one (Hofmann bromamide degradation) deliberately removes a carbon.
- AgNO2 vs NaNO2: nitrite is an ambident nucleophile (can attack through O or N). With the softer, more covalent silver salt AgNO2, alkylation occurs preferentially through nitrogen, giving the nitroalkane as the major product (with NaNO2, the ionic character favours O-alkylation, giving the alkyl nitrite instead). Reducing a nitroalkane (Fe/HCl) gives the primary amine with the same carbon skeleton.
- The cyanide route (NaCN, then reduction) is a classic chain-extension: the nucleophilic CN− displaces the halide, adding one carbon to the chain as a nitrile, and reducing the nitrile (H2/Ni or LiAlH4) gives a primary amine that is one carbon longer than the starting halide.
- The Hofmann bromamide degradation (Br2/OH− on an amide) is the opposite: it removes the carbonyl carbon (as it leaves via an isocyanate/carbamate intermediate that loses CO2), giving a primary amine with one carbon fewer than the starting amide.
Step-by-Step Solution
- I: CH3CH2CH2Cl (3 carbons) + AgNO2 → CH3CH2CH2NO2 (1-nitropropane, N-alkylation favoured by the covalent Ag–N bond). + Fe/HCl (reduction) → CH3CH2CH2NH2 = n-propylamine. Matches. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-22-AN1 markMCQQ.The preferred reagent for the preparation of pure alkyl chloride from alcohol is (A) HCl+ZnCl2 (B) PCl5 (C) SOCl2 (D) PCl3
›Reveal solutionSolution
Tests why thionyl chloride, not the phosphorus halides, is the preferred reagent purely on the grounds of product purity.
Concept and Intuition
Several reagents convert R−OH→R−Cl, but "preferred for pure product" is a purity argument, not a yield argument. The reagent of choice is the one whose by-products leave the flask on their own (as gases), so no work-up/purification is needed to remove them from the alkyl chloride.
Step-by-Step Solution
- R−OH+HCl/ZnCl2→R−Cl+H2O (Lucas reagent) — works well only for tertiary/some secondary alcohols and leaves ZnCl2/water behind.
- R−OH+PCl5→R−Cl+POCl3+HCl — the by-product POCl3 is a liquid that must be removed by distillation, contaminating the crude product.
- R−OH+PCl3→R−Cl+H3PO3 — leaves phosphorous acid behind, again needing separation.
- 3R−OH+SOCl2→R−Cl+SO2↑+HCl↑ — both by-products are gases that simply bubble out, so the alkyl chloride is obtained directly in pure form with essentially no work-up. …
- AP EAPCET 2025Set eng-2025-05-23-FN1 markMCQQ.The reaction of benzene diazonium chloride with Cu and HCl is known as (A) Sandmeyer reaction (B) Etard reaction (C) Finkelstein reaction (D) Gattermann reaction
›Reveal solutionSolution
This distinguishes the Sandmeyer reaction (uses cuprous salts, e.g. Cu2Cl2/Cu2Br2) from the closely related Gattermann reaction (uses copper powder directly with HCl/HBr) for converting a diazonium salt to an aryl halide.
Concept and Intuition
Both reactions replace the diazonium group (−N2+) with a halogen via a radical/copper-mediated mechanism, and both give the same type of product (aryl halide + N2). The distinguishing feature examiners test is the reagent form: Sandmeyer's reaction historically uses a cuprous halide salt (e.g. Cu2Cl2) generated in situ or added directly, while the Gattermann reaction is the simplified variant that uses copper powder (metallic Cu) together with the corresponding hydrohalic acid (HCl/HBr) — no cuprous salt needed.
Step-by-Step Solution
- The reaction described is ArN2+Cl− treated with Cu (metal powder) and HCl.
- Because the copper source is elemental copper powder (not a cuprous salt like Cu2Cl2), this specific reagent combination is named the Gattermann reaction, distinguishing it from the Sandmeyer reaction (which specifically uses cuprous chloride/cuprous bromide). …
- AP EAPCET 2023Set ap-2023-05-23-AN1 markMCQQ.Hydrolysis products of isobutyl isonitrile are (A) (CH3)2CHCH2NH2+HCOOH (B) CH3CH2CH(CH3)NH2+HCOOH (C) (CH3)2CHNH2+CH3COOH (D) (CH3)2CHCOOH+CH3NH2
›Reveal solutionSolution
Isonitrile hydrolysis always gives the corresponding primary amine (with the SAME alkyl group as the isonitrile) plus formic acid — the alkyl group itself is never altered.
Concept and Intuition
An isocyanide, R−N≡C, is hydrolysed under acidic aqueous conditions by nucleophilic attack of water at the terminal carbon, ultimately cleaving the C–N bond to release the alkyl group AS AN AMINE (with its nitrogen intact, unchanged connectivity to R) while the isocyanide carbon (originally bonded only to N and nothing else besides the lone pair/triple bond) ends up as formic acid, HCOOH. This is a key distinguishing test reaction of isocyanides vs their isomeric nitriles (which hydrolyse differently, to carboxylic acids + ammonia/amine on the OTHER side).
Step-by-Step Solution
- Isobutyl isonitrile: (CH3)2CHCH2−N≡C — the isobutyl group ((CH3)2CHCH2−) is attached to the isocyanide nitrogen.
- Acid-catalysed hydrolysis proceeds: R−NC+2H2OH+R−NH2+HCOOH.
- Applying this to isobutyl isonitrile: the alkyl group R = (CH3)2CHCH2− ends up as the primary amine (CH3)2CHCH2NH2 (isobutylamine), retaining the exact same carbon skeleton and nitrogen attachment. …
- AP EAPCET 2022Set eng-2022-07-04-FN1 markMCQQ.When 1-chloro butane is treated with aqueous KOH it gives P. However, when it is treated with alcoholic KOH it gives Q. Identify the products P and Q respectively (A) P = CH3CH2CH2CH2OH (1-butanol), Q = CH3CH2CH2CH2OH (1-butanol) (B) P = CH2=CHCH2CH3 (but-1-ene), Q = CH3CH=CHCH3 (but-2-ene) (C) P = CH2=CHCH2CH3 (but-1-ene), Q = CH3CH2CH2CH2OH (1-butanol) (D) P = CH3CH2CH2CH2OH (1-butanol), Q = CH2=CHCH2CH3 (but-1-ene)
›Reveal solutionSolution
Aqueous KOH gives substitution (1-butanol); alcoholic KOH gives elimination, and since only C2 has beta-hydrogens, the only possible alkene is but-1-ene.
Concept and Intuition
Alkyl halides react differently depending on the solvent/base used: aqueous KOH (with water as solvent) favours SN2 nucleophilic substitution because OH− acts predominantly as a nucleophile in the polar protic medium, while alcoholic KOH (KOH dissolved in ethanol, with much less free water) favours E2 elimination, as the base character of OH−/ethoxide dominates, abstracting a beta-hydrogen to form an alkene.
Step-by-Step Solution
- Substrate: 1-chlorobutane, CH3CH2CH2CH2Cl -- a primary alkyl halide, Cl on C1.
- Aqueous KOH: favours SN2 substitution (primary halides are ideal SN2 substrates -- unhindered backside attack). OH− displaces Cl− directly: product P = CH3CH2CH2CH2OH (1-butanol).
- Alcoholic KOH: favours E2 elimination. The base removes a beta-hydrogen (a hydrogen on the carbon adjacent to the one bearing Cl).
- In 1-chlorobutane, C1 bears Cl; the only carbon adjacent to C1 is C2 -- so the only beta-hydrogens available are those on C2. There is no other beta-carbon (C1 is a terminal/primary carbon), so there is only one possible elimination direction. …
- AP EAPCET 2021Set eng-2021-08-25-AN1 markMCQQ.Identify the compound (B) in given reaction. CH3ClKCN(A)H+/H2O(B) (A) CH3NH2 (B) HCOOH (C) CH3COOH (D) CH3COCH3
›Reveal solutionSolution
CH3Cl with KCN forms methyl cyanide, and acidic hydrolysis of that nitrile gives acetic acid.
Concept and Intuition
Potassium cyanide, being an ionic (predominantly carbon-nucleophilic) source of CN−, substitutes alkyl halides via their carbon end to give alkyl cyanides (nitriles), R–C≡N, rather than isocyanides. Nitriles are the functional equivalent of a "masked carboxylic acid" — acidic (or basic) hydrolysis converts the C≡N group all the way to −COOH (via an amide intermediate).
Step-by-Step Solution
- CH3Cl+KCN→CH3CN+KCl — this is (A), methyl cyanide (acetonitrile).
- Acidic hydrolysis of a nitrile: CH3CN+2H2OH+CH3COOH+NH3 (via the amide CH3CONH2 intermediate).
- So (B)=CH3COOH (acetic acid).
Common Mistakes …
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