Isopropylamine (also known as monoisopropyl amine, MIPA, or 2-propylamine) is an organic compound, an amine. It is a hygroscopic colorless liquid with ammonia-like odor. It is miscible with water and flammable. It is a valuable intermediate in chemical industry.[1]
Isopropylamine exhibits reactions typical of other simple alkyl amines, i.e. protonation, alkylation, acylation, condensation with carbonyls.Like other simple aliphatic amines, isopropylamine is a weak base: the pKa of [(CH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>)CHNH<sub>3</sub>]+ is 10.63.[2]
Isopropylamine can be obtained by reaction of isopropyl alcohol with ammonia in presence of a catalyst:[1]
(CH3)2CHOH + NH3 → (CH3)2CHNH2 + H2O
Isopropylamine is a building block for the preparation of many herbicides and pesticides including atrazine, bentazon, glyphosate, imazapyr, ametryne, desmetryn, prometryn, pramitol, dipropetryn, propazine, fenamiphos, and iprodione.[1] It is a regulating agent for plastics, intermediate in organic synthesis of coating materials, plastics, pesticides, rubber chemicals, pharmaceuticals and others, and as an additive in the petroleum industry.