During the Gabriel phthalimide synthesis of ethanamine, the reaction sequence proceeds via a specifi — Amines Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

In the first step, phthalimide is reacted with ethanolic $KOH$. The base strictly abstracts the acidic $N-H$ proton situated between the two electron-withdrawing carbonyl groups, yielding the highly nucleophilic potassium phthalimide salt, which subsequently executes the $S_N2$ attack on the alkyl halide.