Q.When ethyl nitrite (CH3CH2-O-N=O) is reduced with Sn / HCl, the pair of compounds formed are

Step 1. Ethyl nitrite, CH3CH2-O-N=O, is the ESTER-like alkyl nitrite (nitrogen bonded through oxygen), not a nitroalkane (nitrogen bonded directly to carbon) -- so its reduction chemistry is genuinely different from a nitroalkane's stepwise nitro-to-amine ladder.

Step 2. The unit's own stated reaction is: ethyl nitrite + 6[H] (Sn/HCl) gives ethanol + NH3 + H2O -- the O-N bond is cleaved, releasing the alkyl portion as the alcohol and the nitrogen portion (after full reduction) as ammonia. …

Recognise ethyl nitrite as an O-N-bonded alkyl nitrite (not a C-bonded nitroalkane), and recall its specific Sn/HCl reduction breaks the O-N bond to regenerate the …

• Confusing ethyl nitrite (R-O-N=O) with nitroethane (R-NO2) and answering ethylamine + water -- that product comes from reducing the C-bonded nitro compound; the O-bonded nitri …