Playbook
Amines
81 q - 1.96/paper - 4% HARD. Basicity order, the Hinsberg and carbylamine tests, and diazonium chemistry.
- Questions in the bank
- 81
- q/paper (2024–25 papers)
- 1.96
- Tagged HARD
- 4%
- Subtopics
- 5
Strand: Reactions
When you’ll see it
An amine to classify, rank by basicity, prepare or test — or a diazonium salt and what it turns into.
How this chapter is tested
81 q at 1.96 a paper, 4% HARD. The reactions-and-basicity page (27 q, 11%) holds the HARD: basicity order, the Hinsberg test (1°, 2° and 3° amines behave differently with benzenesulphonyl chloride), the carbylamine test (1° amines only, foul-smelling isocyanide), and Hofmann elimination.
Preparation (15 q) is Hofmann bromamide (amide → amine with one carbon fewer) and reduction of nitro compounds and nitriles. Diazonium salts (12 q) come from aniline + NaNO₂/HCl at 273 K, then become phenol, a halobenzene (Sandmeyer) or an azo dye.
The sub-skills
The distinct skills inside the chapter, in the order to learn them.
Basicity
In water, methylamines: 2° > 1° > 3° > NH₃. Aniline is much weaker (lone pair in the ring).
Tests
Hinsberg separates 1°, 2°, 3°; carbylamine detects 1° only.
Preparation
Hofmann bromamide loses one carbon; Gabriel makes 1° amines only.
Diazonium salts
ArN₂⁺Cl⁻ at 0-5 °C; + H₂O → phenol; + CuCl → chlorobenzene; + phenol → azo dye.
Traps to expect
Distractor shapes this chapter reuses. The Traps page covers the patterns that cut across chapters.
Gas-phase basicity
In the gas phase 3° is most basic; in water, solvation makes 2° the strongest. MHT-CET asks the aqueous order.
Counting carbons in Hofmann bromamide
The amine has one carbon fewer than the amide. Keeping the carbon count gives the wrong homologue.
Learn it before you drill it
This chapter has full teaching notes — foundations, worked examples, self-checks and a per-subtopic mastery checkpoint. Read the notes once, then drill subtopic by subtopic below.
Amines notesDrill every amines question
81 questions from the bank, scoped to 5 bundled subtopics.
Drill one subtopic at a time
The 5 subtopics this playbook covers, in catalog order.
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