Nitro compounds are reduced by iron scrap and hydrochloric acid to yie...
Reduction of Nitro Compounds to Amines
Nitro compounds are organic compounds that contain a nitro functional group (-NO2) attached to a carbon atom. These compounds can be reduced to amines by various reducing agents. One such reducing agent is a mixture of iron scrap and hydrochloric acid.
Reduction Process
When a nitro compound is treated with iron scrap and hydrochloric acid, the following steps occur:
1. Formation of Nitroso Compounds:
The iron scrap reacts with the hydrochloric acid to produce nascent hydrogen gas (H2). This nascent hydrogen then reacts with the nitro compound to form nitroso compounds. Nitroso compounds contain a nitroso functional group (-NO) attached to a carbon atom.
2. Formation of Hydroxylamine:
The nitroso compound further reacts with more nascent hydrogen to form hydroxylamine. Hydroxylamine contains a hydroxylamino functional group (-NH2OH) attached to a carbon atom.
3. Formation of Amine:
Finally, the hydroxylamine is dehydrated to yield an amine. Dehydration involves the removal of a water molecule from the hydroxylamine molecule.
Why Amines are formed
The reduction of nitro compounds to amines occurs because the nitro group (-NO2) is a strong electron-withdrawing group. It withdraws electron density from the carbon atom to which it is attached, making it susceptible to reduction. The reducing agent, in this case, the mixture of iron scrap and hydrochloric acid, supplies the necessary electrons to reduce the nitro group.
Other Options
- Esters: Esters are not formed in this reaction because the reduction of nitro compounds does not involve the formation of a carbonyl group, which is a characteristic feature of esters.
- Amides: Amides are not formed in this reaction because the nitro group does not undergo a reaction with amines to form amides.
- Nitriles: Nitriles are not formed in this reaction because the nitro group is reduced to an amine, and there is no involvement of a cyanide group (-CN) which is characteristic of nitriles.
Therefore, the correct answer is option 'A' - Amines.