Chemistry · Class 12 · Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen

Amines and Nitrogen Compounds for JEE

Everything you need for this topic on one page: the ideas, the formulas, the traps, and free lectures that explain it well.

Last updated: 26 October 2026

Direct answer

Classification, basicity, preparation (Gabriel, Hofmann), reactions, diazonium salts and their uses.

Key ideas

Amines and Nitrogen Compounds: what you must understand

Basicity in water: 2° > 1° > 3° > NH₃ for methyl amines
Aniline is less basic due to resonance
Hinsberg test distinguishes 1°, 2° and 3° amines
Diazonium salts give many aromatic substitutions

Formula sheet

Must-know formulas for Amines and Nitrogen Compounds

Gabriel synthesis gives only 1° amines
Hofmann bromamide: RCONH₂ → RNH₂ (one carbon less)
Sandmeyer: ArN₂⁺ + CuX → ArX
Coupling: ArN₂⁺ + phenol → azo dye

One-page formula sheet

Printable Amines and Nitrogen Compounds formula sheet: formulas, key ideas and traps on one page. Save it as a PDF for offline revision.

Avoid

Common mistakes students make

Using Gabriel for aromatic amines
Wrong basicity order in gas vs water
Forgetting carbon loss in Hofmann

For the exam

How this topic is asked in JEE

Appears in almost every JEE Main shift. Diazonium reactions and basicity are tested often.

Prerequisites: General Organic Chemistry (GOC).

NCERT map

Where Amines and Nitrogen Compounds is in NCERT

Chapter names follow the current rationalised NCERT textbooks. Read these sections before solving PYQs.

Class	Book	Chapter	Sections JEE asks from
Class 12	Chemistry Part II	Amines	Classification of Amines; Basicity of Amines; Preparation of Amines (Gabriel phthalimide synthesis, Hofmann bromamide degradation); Chemical Reactions of Amines; Diazonium Salts (preparation, chemical reactions, importance in synthesis)

JEE Advanced level

A JEE Advanced-level example on Amines and Nitrogen Compounds

Question. Compound A (C₆H₅NO₂) is reduced with Sn/HCl to give compound B. Compound B is treated with NaNO₂/HCl at 0-5°C to give compound C. When C is heated with CuCN, compound D is formed. Compound E is prepared by Gabriel synthesis using potassium phthalimide and 1-bromobutane followed by hydrolysis. (i) Identify compounds B, C, and D. (ii) Arrange B, E, and (CH₃)₂NH in decreasing order of basicity.

Show solution

A is nitrobenzene. Reduction with Sn/HCl converts the nitro group to amino group, giving aniline (C₆H₅NH₂) as compound B.
Aniline (aromatic primary amine) undergoes diazotization with NaNO₂/HCl at 0-5°C to form benzenediazonium chloride (C₆H₅N₂⁺Cl⁻) as compound C.
Sandmeyer reaction: Diazonium salt C reacts with CuCN to replace the N₂⁺ group with CN, giving benzonitrile (C₆H₅CN) as compound D.
Gabriel synthesis: Potassium phthalimide + 1-bromobutane followed by hydrolysis gives butan-1-amine (C₄H₉NH₂) as compound E. This method only produces primary amines.
Basicity comparison: Aniline (B) is weakest because the lone pair on N is delocalized into the benzene ring. Aliphatic amines E and (CH₃)₂NH are stronger bases. Secondary amine (CH₃)₂NH is slightly more basic than primary amine E due to better +I effect and optimal solvation balance.
Decreasing basicity order: (CH₃)₂NH > E (butan-1-amine) > B (aniline)

Answer: (i) B = Aniline (C₆H₅NH₂), C = Benzenediazonium chloride (C₆H₅N₂⁺Cl⁻), D = Benzonitrile (C₆H₅CN) (ii) Basicity order: (CH₃)₂NH > E > B

This example was solved twice independently and both solutions agree.

Free lectures

Best free lectures for Amines and Nitrogen Compounds

Full-chapter free lectures picked from YouTube search results by views, from established JEE channels (mostly in Hinglish). Use the subtopic list to jump straight to the part you need (timestamps come from each video's own chapter list). Watch one, then solve PYQs the same day.

AMINES in One Shot: All Concepts & PYQs Covered | JEE Main & Advanced — JEE Wallah, 3:40:17
Jump to a subtopic (15)
- 00:00 Introduction
- 00:43 Topics to be covered
- 02:10 Preparation of amines
- 31:09 Acid with ammonia
- 36:50 Gabriel Phthalimide Synthesis
- 48:57 Hoffman Bromamide Degradation reactions
- 1:17:47 Acylation of amines
- 1:45:16 Benzene diazonium salts
- 2:21:00 iPso attack of electrophile
- 2:28:57 Test of Amines / Aniline
- 3:00:29 Reaction with Heisenberg reagent
- 3:06:54 Coupling reaction
- 3:22:11 Rearragements
- 3:37:22 Arndt Eistart Reactions
- 3:40:11 Thank You Bacchon
JEE Brief: Amines & N - derivatives | One Shot for JEE Main and Advanced | Sakshi Vora — Vora Classes, 4:25:40

Practise

Where to practise for free

9 JEE Main 2026 PYQs on Amines and Nitrogen Compounds, with solutions.
Read the chapter in NCERT textbooks (official, free), then solve its NCERT Exemplar (official, free) questions.
Chapter-wise past questions: JEE Main and Advanced PYQs and question bank.
Timed practice tests: NTA Abhyas practice tests (official, free) and our free mock tests.
See it move: interactive simulation.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Is Amines and Nitrogen Compounds important for JEE Main 2027?

Appears in almost every JEE Main shift. It is part of the official 'Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen' unit in the JEE Main 2027 syllabus.

What are the most important formulas in Amines and Nitrogen Compounds?

Gabriel synthesis gives only 1° amines; Hofmann bromamide: RCONH₂ → RNH₂ (one carbon less); Sandmeyer: ArN₂⁺ + CuX → ArX.

How should I study Amines and Nitrogen Compounds for JEE?

Understand the key ideas from NCERT or one full lecture, learn the formula sheet, then solve 25–30 past JEE questions on the topic. Diazonium reactions and basicity are tested often.