Consider the reaction of ethanamine with benzenesulphonyl chloride (Hinsberg's reagent) to form a su — Amines Chemistry Question
Question
Consider the reaction of ethanamine with benzenesulphonyl chloride (Hinsberg's reagent) to form a substituted sulphonamide. How many highly acidic hydrogen atoms are present in a single molecule of this resulting major organic product?
💡 Solution & Explanation
Ethanamine, a primary amine, reacts with benzenesulphonyl chloride to form N-ethylbenzenesulphonamide ($C_6H_5SO_2NHC_2H_5$). In this structure, there is exactly 1 hydrogen atom directly attached to the nitrogen. The strong electron-withdrawing nature of the adjacent sulphonyl ($-SO_2-$) group makes this lone $N-H$ proton acidic, allowing the compound to dissolve in strong alkalis like $KOH$.