a) Reduction of nitriles – Nitriles on reduction with LiAIH4 or catalytic hydrogenation produce primary amines.
OR
Reduction of amides with LiAIH4 produce primary amines.
OR
Pthalimide on treatment with ethanolic KOH forms potassium salt of phthalimide which on heating with alkyl halide followed by alkaline hydrolysis produces the corresponding primary amine.
b) Carbylamine reaction / Isocyanide test – Aliphatic and aromatic primary amines on heating with chloroform and ethanolic potassium hydroxide form isocyanides or carbylamines which are foul smelling substances. Secondary and tertiary amines do not show this reaction. This reaction is known as carbylamine reaction or isocyanide test and is used as a test for primary amines.
R-NH2 + CHC3 + 3KH \(\overset{Heat}{\longrightarrow}\) R-NC + 3KCI + 3H3O
c) Conversion of primary aromatic amines into dia zonium salts by reaction with nitrous acid is called diazotisation.