Chapter 19: Carboxylic Acids

Preparation of Amides

Summary

• In general, it is not easy to prepare amides directly from the parent carboxylic acid.
• The acid will protonate the amine preventing further reaction since the carboxylate is a poor electrophile and the ammonium ion is not nucleophilic.

• It is much easier to convert the carboxylic acid to the more reactive acyl chloride first.

• Preparation of Acyl Chlorides
• Preparation of Esters

© Dr. Ian Hunt, Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary