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Ch. 15 - Reactions of Carboxylic Acids and Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Bruice - Organic Chemistry 8th Edition
Bruice8th EditionOrganic ChemistryISBN: 9780135213711Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 16, Problem 38b

What alkyl bromide would you use in a Gabriel synthesis to prepare each of the following amines?
b. isohexylamine

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1
Identify the structure of isohexylamine. Isohexylamine is a primary amine with the structure CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)-CH2-CH2-NH2. This means the alkyl group attached to the amine is isohexyl (CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)-CH2-CH2-).
Recall the Gabriel synthesis mechanism. In this method, a phthalimide anion reacts with an alkyl halide to form an N-alkylphthalimide intermediate. This intermediate is then hydrolyzed to release the primary amine.
Determine the alkyl bromide needed. The alkyl bromide should have the same carbon skeleton as the desired amine, but with a bromine atom replacing the amine group. For isohexylamine, the corresponding alkyl bromide would be CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)-CH2-CH2-Br.
Write the reaction sequence. The phthalimide anion (generated by treating phthalimide with a strong base like KOH) reacts with the isohexyl bromide (CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)-CH2-CH2-Br) to form N-isohexylphthalimide.
Explain the final step. The N-isohexylphthalimide is hydrolyzed (using aqueous acid or base) to release isohexylamine (CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)-CH2-CH2-NH2) and phthalic acid as a byproduct.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Gabriel Synthesis

Gabriel synthesis is a method used to prepare primary amines from alkyl halides. It involves the use of phthalimide, which is first converted to an N-alkyl phthalimide through nucleophilic substitution with an alkyl halide. The resulting N-alkyl phthalimide is then hydrolyzed to yield the primary amine, making this method particularly useful for avoiding the formation of secondary or tertiary amines.
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Alkyl Bromides

Alkyl bromides are organic compounds containing a bromine atom attached to an alkyl group. They are commonly used as alkylating agents in organic synthesis due to their ability to undergo nucleophilic substitution reactions. The choice of alkyl bromide in Gabriel synthesis is crucial, as it determines the structure of the resulting amine, in this case, isohexylamine.
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Isohexylamine Structure

Isohexylamine is a primary amine with the chemical structure C6H15N, specifically 2-amino-2-methylpentane. Understanding its structure is essential for selecting the appropriate alkyl bromide in Gabriel synthesis. The synthesis requires an alkyl bromide that can provide the correct carbon skeleton, which in this case would be derived from a suitable precursor that leads to the isohexyl group.
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