19.10: Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: Amides

The direct reaction of a carboxylic acid with an amine would be expected to be difficult because the basic amine would deprotonate the carboxylic acid to form a highly unreactive carboxylate. However when the ammonium carboxylate salt is heated to a temperature above 100 ^oC water is driven off and an amide is formed.

General Reaction

Going from reactants to products simply

Contributors

Prof. Steven Farmer (Sonoma State University)