Question

Select and describe a specific amide. Attach a drawing showing its structure. Describe the synthesis and applications for the amide, as well as any history or special background notes.

Answer 1

Let the amide selected at random be acetamide.

Laboratory procedure to synthesize Acetamide :

• 3 kg. (2860 cc., 50.0 moles) of glacial acetic acid is placed in a 5 litre flask
• A weight of ammonium carbonate corresponding to 400 g is added to above flask, i.e., (23.5 moles) of ammonia.
• The flask is fitted with a one-hole stopper holding an efficient fractionating column 90 cm. long with condenser and receiver. An air condenser 150–200 cm. long may be employed.
• The mixture in the flask is heated to gentle boiling and the flame so regulated that the rate of distillation does not exceed 180 cc. per hour.
• The distillation is continued in this way for 8-10 hours, until the temperature at the head of the column reaches 110°.
• The distillate, which is a mixture of water and acetic acid, amounts to 1400–1500 cc. The receiver is changed, the flame under the flask is gradually increased, and the distillation is continued at about the same rate until the temperature at the head of the column rises to 140°.
• The distillate, which amounts to 500–700 cc., is largely acetic acid and may be used in the next run.
• To a 2-litre flask, the content of above flask are transferred for fractional distillation having a column 40–50 cm. long, and with the help of air condenser distilled under atmospheric pressure.
• Collect separately the fraction boiling below 210°, amounting to 250–300 cc. The material remaining in the flask is nearly pure acetamide and may all be distilled, 1150–1200 g. passing over at 210–216°. The yield may be increased to 1200–1250 g, by redistilling the fraction boiling below 210°.
• We obtain colorless needles melting at 81°. Recovery of the solvent and the acetamide contained can be done by distilaltion.

Applications Of Acetamide :

• Molten acetamide can be used as solvent for various organic and inorganic compounds.
• It can be used as an antacid in lacquers, explosives and cosmetics
• It can be used as a plasticiser in leather, cloth films and coatings
• It can be used as a dye solvent and assistant in textile industry
• It can be used as a vehicle in pharmaceutical product
• It can be used as a solvent for plastic films
• Used as a humectant in paper
• Used as an accelerator
• Used as a stabilizer
• Used as an antidote
• For manufacturing methylamines
• For denaturing alcohol
• In various organic and inorganic syntheses
• used In preparation of cosmetics and hypnotics
• used In photo-chemical industry
• used In biocides
• used In cryoscopy