Fundamentals of Organic ChemistryChemistryAmines
Which of the following methods can be used for eliminating the nitrogen atom of an amine present outside a ring?
Options
- AEmde degradation
- BHofmann elimination
- CBoth Hofmann and Cope eliminations
- DCope elimination
Correct answer
C. Both Hofmann and Cope eliminations
Step-by-step solution
Hofmann elimination involves the exhaustive methylation of an amine to form a quaternary ammonium salt, followed by heating with moist silver oxide ( Ag ₂ O / H ₂ O ) to yield an alkene and a tertiary amine. This effectively eliminates the nitrogen atom from the carbon chain. Cope elimination involves the oxidation of a tertiary amine to an amine oxide, which upon heating undergoes a syn-elimination to form an alkene and a hydroxylamine, also eliminating the nitrogen atom from the carbon chain. Both methods are sta