Acetamide (CH3CONH2), the amide of acetic acid, is a white crystalline solid in pure form. It is produced by dehydrating ammonium acetate. It is used as a solvent and plasticizer and in the synthesis of many other organic compounds.
Acetamide is extremely combustible and releases irritating fumes when ignited. It is toxic by inhalation (of dust), ingestion, skin and eye contact. Skin or eye contact may cause redness and pain.
Notice that in each case, the name is derived from the acid by replacing the "oic acid" ending by "amide".
For example, ethanamide forms colourless deliquescent crystals with a melting point of 82°C. A deliquescent substance is one which picks up water from the atmosphere and dissolves in it.
In fact, the smell is due to an impurity in the ethanamide called N-methylethanamide, CH, where one of the hydrogens in the -NH group has been replaced by a methyl group.
When the reaction is complete, the mixture is heated and the ammonium salt dehydrates producing ethanamide.
For equation purposes, ethanoic anhydride is often written as (CH The reactions of acid anhydrides are rather like those of acyl chlorides except that during their reactions, a molecule of carboxylic acid is produced rather than the HCl formed when an acyl chloride reacts.
In the first stage, ethanamide is formed together with ethanoic acid.
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