Organic chemistry Part 10: Reactivity and reaction mechanisms

10.7 Reaction mechanism of acid/acyl chlorides reacting with ammonia and amines to yield amides

[Author ©  Dr Phil Brown PhD: Doc Brown's exam revision notes suitable for A level chemistry students of advanced pre-university/college advanced level organic chemistry courses:  mechanism of ammonia/amines with acid/acyl chlorides [mechanism updated April 14th 2026 *]

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10.7 Reaction of acid/acyl chlorides with ammonia and amines to form amides

 Examples are explained of the organic chemistry mechanisms for acid/acyl chlorides undergoing nucleophilic addition and elimination reactions.

Amide formation from reaction with ammonia or primary amines.

The revision notes include full diagrams and explanation of the mechanisms and the 'molecular' equation and reaction conditions are also explained.

10.7.1 Introduction to their reactivity

Only acid chloride reactions are considered at the moment and the high reactivity of acyl chlorides is towards nucleophilic attack is due to the highly polarised situation of the carbon–oxygen/chlorine bonds i.e.

^δ–Cl–C^δ+=O^δ–

The ensuing mechanism is called a nucleophilic addition elimination (because of the two principal stages of the mechanism i.e. an addition followed by an elimination), but overall it amounts to a nucleophilic substitution mechanism (see further comments).

The initial point of attack is via the addition of the nucleophile ammonia or an amine.

10.7.4 Amide formation via acid/acyl chloride by a nucleophilic addition–elimination substitution reaction mechanism

The organic synthesis of amides from acid/acyl chlorides and ammonia/amines

• Examples of nucleophilic addition of ammonia or an amine to acid/acyl chlorides,  subsequent elimination gives the amide and hydrogen chloride/hydrochloric acid

  • (i) ethanoyl chloride + ammonia ==> ethanamide + hydrogen chloride

  • + NH₃ ===> + HCl

    • this illustrates the formation of a primary amide, ethanamide

  • (ii) ethanoyl chloride + phenylamine ==> N-phenylethanamide + hydrogen chloride

  • + ===> + HCl

    • this illustrates the formation of a secondary amide, N-phenylethanamide

• What is the mechanism for the formation of an amide from an acid/acyl chloride and ammonia of amine?

• e.g. R–COCl + 2NH₃ ==> R–CONH₂ + NH₄⁺ + Cl^–   [see mechanism 16 below]

  • effectively overall a nucleophilic substitution of Cl by NH₂ (via NH₃)

  • R = alkyl or aryl

mechanism 16 – nucleophilic addition–elimination reaction for an acyl chloride forming an amide from ammonia

• [mechanism 16 above] The mechanism involves several rearrangements and assumes excess ammonia.

• Step (1) The >C^δ+=O^δ– carbonyl bond is highly polarised and the positive carbon is attacked by the nucleophilic ammonia molecule, acting as an electron pair donor. The amine adds to form a highly unstable ionic intermediate via a C–N bond and simultaneously the π electron pair of the C=O double bond moves onto the oxygen atom to give it a full negative charge. The ammonia is the nucleophile - the electron pair donor to a partially positive carbon atom.

• Step (2) The C–Cl bond pair moves onto the chlorine atom and leaves as a chloride ion and simultaneously one of the lone pairs of electrons from the negative oxygen atom shifts to complete (reform) the C=O carbonyl bond.

• Step (3) Another ammonia molecule abstracts a proton to form the ammonium ion and the primary amide product.

• From a primary amine a secondary amide (or N–substituted amide) is formed.

• e.g. R–COCl + 2R'NH₂ ==> R–CONHR' + R'NH₃⁺ + Cl^–   [see mechanism 17 below]

• R and R' = alkyl or aryl

mechanism 17 – nucleophilic addition–elimination reaction for an acyl chloride forming a secondary amide (N–substituted amide) from a primary amine

• [mechanism 17 above] The mechanism involves several rearrangements and assumes excess of the primary amine and is in principal no different than the reaction with ammonia.

  • Step (1) The >C^δ+=O^δ– carbonyl is highly polarised and the positive carbon is attacked by the nucleophilic primary amine molecule, acting as an electron pair donor. The amine adds to form a highly unstable ionic intermediate via a C–N bond and simultaneously the π electron pair of the C=O double bond moves onto the oxygen atom to give it a full negative charge.

  • Step (2) The C–Cl bond pair moves onto the chlorine atom and leaves as a chloride ion and simultaneously one of the lone pairs of electrons from the negative oxygen shifts to complete (reform) the C=O carbonyl bond.

  • Step (3) Another primary molecule abstracts a proton to form an alkylammonium ion and the free secondary amide.

• FURTHER COMMENTS

  • The reaction is effectively, overall, the substitution of the –Cl chlorine atom with an amine/amino (–NH₂) group or a substituted amide (–NHR) group.

APPENDIX

COMPLETE MECHANISM and Organic Synthesis INDEX (so far!)