In the realm of organic chemistry, the reactivity and identity of a chemical compound is defined by functional groups. But what are “functional groups?” Well, these groups are some unique, and recognizable, combination of atoms that behave in a defined manner. One group may increase a compound’s acidity, such as carboxylic acid (R-COOH), while others may strengthen its basicitiy, such as an imine (R=N-R). Many other prominent examples include ethers (R-O-R), thiols (R-SH), aldehydes (R-CH=O) and so forth.
Within my specific research, amines present themselves as the most common functional group I personally encounter. What are these “amines” though, you haven’t mentioned them? I’d be happy to discuss that then. Amines are a nitrogen-centered functional group known for their applications in organic bases, medicinal compounds and biological molecules. They come in 3 classifications: primary (1o, R-NH2), secondary (2o, R-NH-R) and tertiary (3o, R2-N-R). Their property to act as a strong base, or nucleophile, is derived from the ready-to-donate lone pair on the nitrogen. This non-bonding electron pair is readily available to attack acidic hydrogens or electrophillic centers without a strong need to be activated by a base. Although amines suffer from overreacting in alkylation reactions and more, it's proven itself as both a powerful and versatile functional group in organic synthesis! There is so much to learn about amines...
