Ammonia can act as a nucleophile in substitution reactions. Amines can be formed by the reaction of ammonia with alkyl halides, although the resulting –NH2 group is also nucleophilic and secondary and tertiary amines are often formed as by-products. Using an excess of ammonia helps minimise multiple substitution, and neutralises the hydrogen halide formed. Methylamine is prepared commercially by the reaction of ammonia with chloromethane...
Most methyl chloride is prepared by reacting methanol with hydrogen chloride, according to the chemical equation
CH3OH + HCl → CH3Cl + H2O
This can be carried out either by bubbling hydrogen chloride gas through boiling methanol with or without a zinc chloride catalyst, or by passing combined methanol and hydrogen chloride vapors over an alumina catalyst at 350°C.
In the first quote the reducing agent is not specified, however i think it is obvious that it would be the same as used for reducing halides attached to amines.
in the methyl chloride quote it mentions the use of zinc chloride as a catalyst with anhydrous HCl gas through methanol. I thought this was quite interesting from the aspect of other alcohols which people talk about substiuting halides onto, i'm not sure if its useful information neccessarily but i thought that this might be a key to improving yields in chlorination reactions.
i've been searching and searching for some more info on the reactions of sulphurous acid but i bumped into this along the way and i felt that i should post this.
Forums
Rhodium
The Hive
Shop
Profile
Log in
Register
Log in to check your private messages
10235
