Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Acetamide preparation

Adas - 28-9-2011 at 09:09

Hello, I am interested in acetamide, because it can provide many useful reactions.

In this topic, I wanna ask you how can I make relatively pure acetamide + the decomp. temperature of ammonium acetate will be an useful detail.
Thanks ;)

Endimion17 - 28-9-2011 at 09:26

I've got the procedure for making a little over 5 g, but I have to translate it. It's from Vogel's Elementary Practical Organic Chemistry Part I.

It's not a straightforward procedure, but at least it's interesting because it's preparative organic chemistry.
It's basically refluxing pure acetic acid and urea in a flask with an air condenser.
But as you already probably know, you can make it by thermal decomposition of ammonium acetate. I don't know the temperature, but I suppose you could just heat the acetate over 200 °C and you'll get boiling acetamide. Water vapor will be gone long before that.

If you want to make it the harder way (Vogel), just say.

Adas - 28-9-2011 at 09:31

Thank you, this info is very useful :)
btw. You are Croatian! You're literally my bro! :D (I am Slovakian)

Endimion17 - 28-9-2011 at 14:08

So... do you want me to translate it for you... or not? :)

Yes, I am. Though I don't get the connection. Am I missing something? I'm not very good with geographical links and puns...

Adas - 29-9-2011 at 07:50

No, you don't have to translate, I will try the NH4OAc method someday.
Slovakia = middle of Europe :D