Which of the following reactions is appropriate for converting acetamide to methamine?

Options

A. Carbylamine reaction
B. Hofmann hypobromamide reaction
C. Stephens reaction
D. Gabriels phthalimide synthesis

Explanation

To convert acetamide to methamine, we can utilize the Hofmann degradation reaction. Here’s a step-by-step solution:

### Step 1: Identify the starting compound
The starting compound is acetamide, which has the structure:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{C(=O)NH}_2 \]

### Step 2: Understand the reaction
The Hofmann degradation reaction involves the treatment of an amide with bromine (Br2) in the presence of a strong base, typically sodium hydroxide (NaOH). This reaction leads to the degradation of the amide, resulting in the formation of a primary amine.

### Step 3: Set up the reaction
We will react acetamide with bromine and sodium hydroxide:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{C(=O)NH}_2 + \text{Br}_2 + \text{NaOH} \rightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{NH}_2 + \text{Na}_2\text{CO}_3 + 2\text{NaBr} + 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \]

### Step 4: Analyze the reaction
In this reaction, the carbonyl carbon (C=O) of acetamide is removed, leading to the formation of methamine (methylamine), which has the structure:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{NH}_2 \]

### Step 5: Products of the reaction
The other products formed in this reaction include sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium bromide (NaBr), and water (H2O).

### Step 6: Balancing the reaction
To balance the reaction, we note that 4 moles of NaOH are required. This is because:
- 2 moles of NaOH are used to neutralize the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced during the reaction.
- The remaining 2 moles are involved in the reaction mechanism.

### Final Answer
The appropriate reaction to convert acetamide to methamine is the Hofmann degradation reaction, which can be summarized as:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{C(=O)NH}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{Br}_2, \text{NaOH}} \text{CH}_3\text{NH}_2 \]

---