imina

An imine is a chemical compound that contains a carbon-nitrogen double bond with the suffix -imine. Imines are the C=N functional group analog of ketones and aldehydes, where the oxygen atom is replaced by a nitrogen atom. The nitrogen atom is attached to a carbon atom that is double bonded to it, and this carbon atom is also attached to at least one other carbon atom. The nitrogen atom is typically attached to a hydrogen atom or an organic group.

Imines are formed through the condensation reaction between an aldehyde or ketone and a primary amine. This reaction, known as imine formation or condensation, typically involves the loss of a water molecule. The reverse reaction, hydrolysis, regenerates the original aldehyde or ketone and amine. Imines are important intermediates in organic synthesis. They can be reduced to form amines, or they can undergo nucleophilic addition reactions at the carbon atom of the C=N double bond.

Imines are found in biological systems, where they play crucial roles in various metabolic pathways. For example, pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), a derivative of vitamin B6, forms imines with amino acids during enzymatic reactions involved in amino acid metabolism. Schiff bases are a type of imine where the nitrogen atom is bonded to an aryl group. The term "Schiff base" is often used interchangeably with imine, though strictly speaking, it refers to imines derived from aromatic amines. The stability of imines can vary depending on the substituents attached to the carbon and nitrogen atoms.