Nitrogenation

Nitrogenation is the chemical process by which nitrogen atoms are introduced into another molecule or material. In organic chemistry, nitrogenation denotes the formation of nitrogen-containing compounds by incorporating nitrogen from sources such as ammonia, amines, nitro reagents, or nitrogen gas under appropriate conditions. This broad definition encompasses multiple transformation classes, including amination, amidation, nitrile formation, and the creation of nitrogen-containing heterocycles.

In organic synthesis, common nitrogenation strategies include reductive amination, which converts carbonyl compounds into primary or secondary amines using ammonia or amines with a reducing agent; hydroamination, which adds an N–H bond across carbon–carbon multiple bonds, often catalyzed by transition metals; and direct C–H amination via nitrene transfer, enabling the installation of nitrogen into C–H bonds. Nitridation pathways can produce nitriles or imines through various routes. The choice of nitrogen source, catalyst, and conditions determines the selectivity toward primary, secondary, or tertiary amines and related products.

Industrial relevance is broad, with nitrogenated products such as amines used in polymers, detergents, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals; nitriles serve as important solvents and synthetic intermediates; and nitrogen-containing heterocycles are common in medicines and functional materials.

In metallurgy, nitrogenation (often termed nitriding) refers to diffusion of nitrogen into metal surfaces to form nitride phases. This process increases hardness, wear resistance, and fatigue strength, and is widely used for tool steels and bearing components.