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Nicole Williams

How to convert benzamide to benzylamine?

Cristopher Milean  Follow

The more reactive $\ce{LiAlH4}$ is required for the reduction of the amide to the corresponding amine (source). The carbonyl carbon of an amide is less electrophilic compared to a ketone, because electron density is donated by the amide nitrogen via resonance.

Bromine and hydroxide react with an carboxylic acid amide to yield an amine with one fewer carbon atom (Hofmann degradation). $\ce{Br2}$ and $\ce{KOH}$ react to form $\ce{KOBr}$ in situ, which transforms the amide into an intermediate isocyanate ($\ce{R-N=C=O}$). Hydrolysis of the isocyanate yields a carbamic acid $\ce{R-NH-COOH}$, which decomposes to the amine $\ce{R-NH2}$ and $\ce{CO2}$. As described in this paper, the reaction of $\ce{PCl5}$ with carboxylic acid amides produces amidochlorides $\ce{RCCl2NH2}$ as intermediates, which break down to the corresponding nitrile $\ce{RC#N}$ and $\ce{HCl}$.

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Jerald Cole  Follow
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbamic_acidMore
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Hassan Ahamed  Follow
Is that carbamic acid decomposition instantaneous?More
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Edward Leahy  Follow
@Mixcels Yes, it is. Carbamic acid and many of its derivatives are generally unstable (More
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