Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Atoms
Alcohols and halogenoalkanes
- Primary alcohols and halogenoalkanes are those in which the carbon atom bonded to the functional group is attached to one other carbon atom (or alkyl group)
- In secondary alcohols and halogenoalkanes the functional group carbon atom is attached to two other carbon atoms (or alkyl groups)
- In tertiary alcohols and halogenoalkanes the functional group carbon atom is attached to three other carbon atoms (or alkyl groups)
Classifying primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols and alcohols with more than one alcohol group
Amines
- Amines follow a slightly different classification system, although the terms primary, secondary and tertiary are still used
- The classification is based on the number of alkyl groups attached to the nitrogen in the amine
- Primary amines are those in which the nitrogen is attached to one other carbon atom (or alkyl group)
- In secondary amines the nitrogen atom is attached to two other carbon atoms (or alkyl groups)
- In tertiary amines the nitrogen is attached to three other carbon atoms (or alkyl groups)
Primary, secondary and tertiary Amines
