An amine is a nitrogen-containing organic compound that has a basic nitrogen with a lone pair on it. Amines are formally derivatives of ammonia (NH3), wherein one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a substituent such as an alkyl or aryl group. Amines can be further classified by how many organic groups are present instead of hydrogen. Some important amines include amino acids, biogenic amines, trimethylamine, and aniline.
Amines are named in several ways. Typically, the compound is given the prefix "amino-" or the suffix "-amine". The prefix "N-" shows substitution on the nitrogen atom. An organic compound with multiple amino groups is called a diamine, triamine, tetraamine and so forth.
Amines have a pyramidal shape and have a sp3 hybridization. They may be dangerous poisons and can be corrosive to some metals and plastics, so they should be stored in glass or steel containers.
Amines have a wide range of applications in our daily lives. They are used in water purification, medicine manufacturing, and the development of insecticides and pesticides. They are also involved in the production of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins in living beings. Many varieties of vitamins are also made by amines.
