Question

How will you carry out the following conversion?

Iodomethane to dimethylamine

Answer 1

Iodomethane (CH₃I) reacts with silver cyanide (AgCN) to form methyl isocyanide (CH₃NC). On reduction with sodium in ethanol (Na/C₂H₅OH), CH₃NC is converted into dimethylamine (CH₃NHCH₃). Thus, iodomethane is converted to dimethylamine via methyl isocyanide formation and subsequent reduction.

\[\ce{\underset{Iodomethane}{CH3I}->[AgNC][]\underset{isocyanide}{\underset{Methyl}{CH3NC}}->[4H][Na/C2H5OH]\underset{Dimethylamine}{CH3NHCH3}}\]