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How are tertiary amines made by alkylating secondary amines?
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amine
Examples of different types of amines.
Tertiary amines are typically synthesized through the direct alkylation of secondary amines using alkyl halides.1
In this process, the secondary amine acts as a nucleophile, reacting with the alkyl halide to replace the remaining hydrogen atom on the nitrogen with an alkyl group, thereby forming a tertiary amine.1