Early organic chemists used the Hofmann elimination reaction as the last step of a process known as a Hofmann degradation—a method used to identify amines. In a Hofmann degradation, an amine is methylated with excess methyl iodide in a basic solution, treated with silver oxide to convert the quaternary ammonium iodide to a quaternary ammonium hydroxide, and then heated to allow it to undergo a Hofmann elimination. Once the alkene product is identified, working backward gives the structure of the amine. Identify the amine in each of the following cases: a. 4-Methyl-2-pentene is obtained from the Hofmann degradation of a primary amine. b. 3-Methyl-1-butene is obtained from the Hofmann degradation of a primary amine. c. 2-Methyl-1-3-butadiene is obtained from two successive Hofmann degradations of a secondary amine.
Early organic chemists used the Hofmann elimination reaction as the last step of a process known as a Hofmann degradation—a method used to identify
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