Tertiary alcohols and amines

(CH3)3COH is a tertiary alcohol, so why is (CH3)3CNH2 not a tertiary amine?

Grrr. Sometimes we just make it hard for students.

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

Methene

Does your molecule exist? :confused:

If you mean N(CH₃)_3, then yes it's a tertiary amine.

Reply 2

Pigster

Original post by Methene

Does your molecule exist? :confused:

If you mean N(CH₃)_3, then yes it's a tertiary amine.

Whoops, missed a 'C'.

Fixed.

Reply 3

Methene

Ah yes I see what you mean... but chemistry would lose some of its charm with a bulletproof system of order imo :biggrin:

Reply 4

bl0bf1sh

Original post by Pigster

(CH3)3COH is a tertiary alcohol, so why is (CH3)3CNH2 not a tertiary amine?
Grrr. Sometimes we just make it hard for students.

The term “tertiary amine” refers to the fact that there are 3 R groups (i.e., not hydrogen) attached to the nitrogen.
(For the alcohol – tertiary means that the carbon attached to the -OH has 3 R groups attached)

https://www.chemguide.co.uk/organicprops/amines/background.html

In your example, the nitrogen is attached to 2 hydrogens and 1 R group so is a primary amine.