Lesson 18B.1

18B.1 Amines: identification, basicity and reactions Quiz: Pearson Edexcel Chemistry, Unit 18

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 18B.1, Amines: identification, basicity and reactions: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel Chemistry (9CH0), Unit 18: Organic Chemistry III, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What functional group defines a primary amine?

    • -NH2 bonded to one alkyl or aryl group
    • -CONH2 bonded to a carbonyl group
    • -N(CH3)3+ with four groups on nitrogen
    • -NH- bonded to two alkyl groups

  2. Why are primary aliphatic amines basic?

    • The amine contains a carbonyl group that releases electrons
    • The lone pair on nitrogen can accept a proton from an acid
    • The amine donates a hydroxide ion to water
    • The nitrogen atom carries a permanent positive charge

  3. What happens when butylamine dissolves in water?

    • It forms an acidic solution containing butylammonium ions and hydrogen ions
    • It forms a neutral solution with no ions present, since amines do not react with water
    • It forms an alkaline solution containing butylammonium and hydroxide ions
    • It forms a precipitate of butylamine hydroxide, which settles at the bottom of the tube

  4. Which reagent reacts with a primary amine to form a deep blue complex ion?

    • Copper(II) ions, forming a deep blue complex
    • Silver(I) ions, forming a silver mirror
    • Calcium ions, forming a white precipitate
    • Iron(II) ions, forming a green precipitate

  5. Which functional group defines an amide?

    • -CN, a carbon triple-bonded to nitrogen
    • -CONH- or -CONH2, a carbonyl group bonded to nitrogen
    • -NH2 bonded to an alkyl group
    • -COOH, a carbonyl group bonded to a hydroxyl group

  6. What is an amino acid?

    • A molecule with a benzene ring and a hydroxyl group
    • A molecule with two amine groups and no acid group
    • A molecule with a carbonyl group and an ester group
    • A molecule with both an amine group and a carboxylic acid group

  7. Butylamine reacts with ethanoyl chloride. What is the organic product?

    • Butanenitrile with hydrogen gas formed, from reduction of the carbonyl group
    • Butan-1-ol and ethanoic acid, formed by hydrolysis of the acyl chloride group
    • Butyl ethanoate, an ester, with water formed as the only by-product of the reaction
    • N-butylethanamide, an amide, with hydrogen chloride also formed

  8. Which amine is the most basic of ammonia, butylamine and phenylamine?

    • Butylamine, a primary aliphatic amine
    • Ethanamide, which has a carbonyl group attached to nitrogen in the chain
    • Ammonia, which is the simplest base and has a lone pair on nitrogen
    • Phenylamine, which has a benzene ring attached to the nitrogen atom

  9. Why is phenylamine less basic than ammonia?

    • Its lone pair is delocalised into the benzene ring, so it is less available to accept a proton
    • Phenylamine and ammonia have the same basicity because both have a lone pair
    • The ring donates electrons to nitrogen, making the lone pair more available
    • Its lone pair is held more tightly by nitrogen because of hydrogen bonding

  10. Preparing a primary amine from bromoethane with excess ethanolic ammonia gives which main problem?

    • Further reaction gives a mixture of secondary and tertiary amines and quaternary ammonium salts
    • The reaction needs temperatures above 600 C to proceed, which cannot be reached in a sealed tube in the lab
    • The product is an alkene that cannot be purified, since it decomposes on heating with ammonia in ethanol
    • The reaction forms only ammonium chloride with no amine, since the bromoethane is fully hydrolysed

  11. Which reagent reduces a nitrile to a primary amine?

    • Lithium tetrahydridoaluminate in dry ether
    • Dilute hydrochloric acid at room temperature
    • Bromine water in sunlight
    • Sodium hydroxide in water, heated

  12. What is the molecular formula of N-butylethanamide?

    • C6H15N
    • C6H11O
    • C4H11N
    • C6H13NO

  13. Which of these is a secondary amine?

    • Trimethylamine, (CH3)3N
    • Ethanamide, CH3CONH2
    • Propan-1-amine, CH3CH2CH2NH2
    • N-methylethanamine, CH3NHCH2CH3

  14. Which compound is a primary aromatic amine?

    • Diethylamine, (C2H5)2NH
    • Trimethylamine, (CH3)3N
    • N-methylphenylamine, C6H5NHCH3
    • Phenylamine, C6H5NH2

  15. Why does ammonia dissolve in water to give an alkaline solution?

    • Ammonia donates a proton to water, forming H3O+ and NH2-, which makes the solution alkaline
    • Ammonia reacts with water to form nitric acid and hydrogen, which makes the solution slightly acidic
    • Ammonia forms a carbonyl group that releases hydroxide ions into the solution when it dissolves
    • Ammonia accepts a proton from water to form NH4+ and OH-, giving an alkaline solution

  16. Which explanation accounts for the greater basicity of alkylamines compared with ammonia?

    • Alkyl groups donate electron density to nitrogen, making its lone pair more available to accept a proton
    • Alkyl groups withdraw electron density from nitrogen, making the lone pair more available
    • Alkyl groups give nitrogen a permanent negative charge
    • Alkyl groups remove the lone pair from nitrogen, so the amine becomes neutral

  17. Given pKb values of 4.75 for ammonia, 3.3 for butylamine and 9.4 for phenylamine, which is the strongest base?

    • Ammonia, with a pKb between the other two
    • They are all equally basic
    • Phenylamine, with the highest pKb
    • Butylamine, with the lowest pKb

  18. Why is excess amine or a base used when an acyl chloride reacts with an amine?

    • It reduces the acyl chloride to an alcohol, which then reacts with the amine to form an ester product
    • It removes the HCl formed, so the amine is not fully protonated and can keep reacting
    • It acts as a catalyst that makes the reaction reversible, so the amide can be hydrolysed back to the amine
    • It hydrolyses the acyl chloride to a carboxylic acid, which then reacts with the amine in a second step

  19. Which reagents would make butylamine from 1-bromobutane?

    • Excess concentrated ammonia in ethanol, heated in a sealed tube
    • Tin and concentrated hydrochloric acid at room temperature
    • Lithium tetrahydridoaluminate in dry ether only
    • Sodium hydroxide in water, heated under reflux to give butan-1-ol

  20. Which type of reaction forms an amide from an acyl chloride and an amine?

    • Nucleophilic addition-elimination, with HCl lost
    • Elimination of water with a strong acid catalyst
    • Free-radical substitution with chlorine atoms
    • Electrophilic substitution on the carbonyl carbon

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