Aminoaldehydes and aminoketones are
organic compound
In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon- hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. Th ...
s that contain an
amine
In chemistry, amines (, ) are compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair. Amines are formally derivatives of ammonia (), wherein one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a substituent su ...
functional group as well as either a
aldehyde
In organic chemistry, an aldehyde () is an organic compound containing a functional group with the structure . The functional group itself (without the "R" side chain) can be referred to as an aldehyde but can also be classified as a formyl group ...
or
ketone
In organic chemistry, a ketone is a functional group with the structure R–C(=O)–R', where R and R' can be a variety of carbon-containing substituents. Ketones contain a carbonyl group –C(=O)– (which contains a carbon-oxygen double bon ...
functional group. These compounds are important in biology and in chemical synthesis. Because of their bifunctional nature, they have attracted much attention from chemists.
Tertiary amine derivatives
Because primary and secondary amines react with aldehydes and ketones, the most common variety of these aminocarbonyl compounds feature
tertiary amine
In chemistry, amines (, ) are compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with a lone pair. Amines are formally derivatives of ammonia (), wherein one or more hydrogen atoms have been replaced by a substituent such ...
s. Such compounds are produced by amination of α-
haloketone
In organic chemistry, an α-haloketone is a functional group consisting of a ketone group or more generally a carbonyl group with an α- halogen substituent. α-haloketones are alkylating agents. Prominent α-haloketones include phenacyl bromid ...
s and α-
haloaldehydes. Examples include
cathinone
Cathinone (also known as benzoylethanamine, or β-keto-amphetamine) is a monoamine alkaloid found in the shrub ''Catha edulis'' (khat) and is chemically similar to ephedrine, cathine, methcathinone and other amphetamines. It is probably the m ...
s,
methadone
Methadone, sold under the brand names Dolophine and Methadose among others, is a synthetic opioid agonist used for chronic pain and also for opioid dependence. It is used to treat chronic pain, and it is also used to treat addiction to hero ...
,
molindone,
pimeclone
Pimeclone (Karion, Spiractin) is a drug described as either a psychostimulant or a respiratory stimulant (conflicting reports) which is sold in Europe. It was first synthesized in 1927.
See also
* 2-Benzylpiperidine
* 4-Benzylpiperidine
* ...
, ferruginine, and
tropinone
Tropinone is an alkaloid, famously synthesised in 1917 by Robert Robinson as a synthetic precursor to atropine, a scarce commodity during World War I. Tropinone and the alkaloids cocaine and atropine all share the same tropane core structure. It ...
.
Secondary amine derivatives
Aminoketones containing secondary amines are typically stable when the ketone is located on a ring, e.g.
4-piperidinone,
triacetonamine
Triacetonamine is an organic compound with the formula OC(CH2CMe2)2NH (where Me = CH3). It is a colorless or white solid that melts near room temperature. The compound is an intermediate in the preparation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine, a s ...
,
acridone
Acridone is an organic compound based on the acridine skeleton, with a carbonyl group at the ''9'' position. It is a yellow solid.
Synthesis and structure
The molecule is planar. Optical spectra reveal that the keto tautomer predominates in the g ...
Primary amine derivatives

Most members of this class are unstable towards
self-condensation Self-condensation is an organic reaction in which a chemical compound containing a carbonyl group acts both as the electrophile and the nucleophile in an aldol condensation. It is also called a symmetrical aldol condensation as opposed to a mixed a ...
, however some important examples do exist as intermediates in biosynthetic pathways e.g.
glutamate-1-semialdehyde
Glutamate-1-semialdehyde is a molecule formed from by the reduction of tRNA bound glutamate
Glutamic acid (symbol Glu or E; the ionic form is known as glutamate) is an α-amino acid that is used by almost all living beings in the biosynthes ...
. The acyclic forms of certain
amino sugar
In organic chemistry, an amino sugar (or more technically a 2-amino-2-deoxysugar) is a sugar molecule in which a hydroxyl group has been replaced with an amine group. More than 60 amino sugars are known, with one of the most abundant being ''N'' ...
s also qualify, for instance
vancosamine.
Aminoacetaldehyde
Aminoacetaldehyde is the organic compound with the formula OHCCH2NH2. Under the usual laboratory conditions, it is unstable, tending instead to undergo self-condensation. Aminoacetaldehyde diethylacetal is a stable surrogate.
In nature, aminoac ...
, the simplest member of this subclass, is highly reactive toward
self-condensation Self-condensation is an organic reaction in which a chemical compound containing a carbonyl group acts both as the electrophile and the nucleophile in an aldol condensation. It is also called a symmetrical aldol condensation as opposed to a mixed a ...
.
Aminoacetaldehyde diethylacetal, (EtO)
2CHCH
2NH
2, is a stable analogue that is commercially available.
2-Aminobenzaldehyde with the formula C
6H
4(NH
2)CHO is a prominent aromatic aminoaldehyde. The compound is unstable with respect to
self-condensation Self-condensation is an organic reaction in which a chemical compound containing a carbonyl group acts both as the electrophile and the nucleophile in an aldol condensation. It is also called a symmetrical aldol condensation as opposed to a mixed a ...
Aminoacetone
Aminoacetone is the simplest monopeptide with the formula CH3C(O)CH2NH2. Although stable in the gaseous form, once condensed it reacts with itself. The protonated derivative forms stable salts, e.g. aminoacetone hydrochloride ( H3C(O)CH2NH3l)). ...
is a prominent member of this class of compounds. It is unstable under normal laboratory conditions, but the hydrochloride
3C(O)CH2NH3">H3C(O)CH2NH3l is readily isolable.
Aminoacetone is derived from decarboxylation of alanine. Aminoacetaldehyde is produced by the hydroxylation of
taurine
Taurine (), or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, is an organic compound that is widely distributed in animal tissues. It is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine, and accounts for up to 0.1% of total human body weight. It ...
.
References
{{organic-compound-stub
Amines
Ketones
Aldehydes