Revision Notes MCQ Bank SAQ Bank Study Cards Courses Teachers Blog
Edexcel International A Level Chemistry

Topic 19
Organic Nitrogen
Compounds

Topic 19 closes Unit 5 with the organic nitrogen compounds: the naming and formulae of amines, amides and amino acids; the reactions of butylamine and phenylamine with water, acids, halogenoalkanes, ethanoyl chloride and copper(II) ions, and why amines differ in basicity; preparing amines from halogenoalkanes, nitriles and nitrobenzene; diazonium salts and azo dyes; amides from acyl chlorides; condensation polymers such as polyamides and proteins, and the addition polymers poly(propenamide) and poly(ethenol); and the acid-base behaviour, optical activity and peptide bonds of amino acids.

Exam Unit
Unit 5
WCH15/01 – IAL
Specification Points
19.1 – 19.12
39 points covered
Sub-topics
10 lessons
Revision notes available
Exam Board
Edexcel IAL
Pearson International

Revision Notes

10 revision notes, in the order the specification teaches them.

An amine molecule with its lone pair
1

Amines, Amides and Amino Acids: Structure and Naming

The structure and naming of amines, amides and amino acids: classification, nomenclature, formulae and physical properties.

Start revising
A nitro group becoming an amine with tin and acid
2

Preparing Amines

Preparing amines: halogenoalkanes with ammonia, reduction of nitriles, and the reduction of nitrobenzene to phenylamine with tin and concentrated hydrochloric acid.

Start revising
An amine lone pair taking a proton
3

Amines as Bases

Amines as bases: the nitrogen lone pair, alkaline solutions, salt formation with acids and the order of base strength of ammonia, aliphatic and aromatic amines.

Start revising
Amine lone pair attacking a carbon chain
4

Amines as Nucleophiles

Amines as nucleophiles: substitution with halogenoalkanes and the formation of N-substituted amides with acyl chlorides.

Start revising
A chain with an amide group highlighted
5

Amides

Amides: structure, naming, preparation from acyl chlorides and the amide link.

Start revising
Two rings joined by a nitrogen bridge beside a bright dye
6

Diazonium Salts and Azo Dyes

Diazonium salts and azo dyes: phenylamine with nitrous acid below 10 °C, the benzenediazonium ion and coupling with phenol to make a dye.

Start revising
An amino acid with charged groups at each end
7

Amino Acids and Zwitterions

Amino acids: zwitterions, acid and base behaviour, the isoelectric point and chirality.

Start revising
A protein chain folding into a helix
8

Peptides and Proteins

Peptides and proteins: the peptide link, dipeptides and tripeptides, hydrolysis and proteins as polymers of amino acids.

Start revising
Two kinds of monomer linked with water leaving
9

Condensation Polymers: Polyamides and Polyesters

Condensation polymers: polyamides and polyesters, repeat units, monomers, linkages and intermolecular forces.

Start revising
Plastic buried in the ground and an incinerator with a chimney filter
10

Polymer Properties: Polyamides, Poly(propenamide) and Poly(ethenol)

Polyamide hydrogen bonding, poly(propenamide) and poly(ethenol): repeat units, solubility in water and uses.

Start revising

Summary Map

Download, print and revise the key facts of this topic at a glance.

Summary maps

Download, print and revise the key facts of this topic at a glance.

Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Amines Map

Edexcel International A Level Chemistry · Unit 5 · Topic 19

Every reaction on one A4 page: reagents, conditions and reaction type for each arrow, colour coded, with the key tests.

Download the map7 reactions · A4 landscape · print ready
Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Nitriles Map

Edexcel International A Level Chemistry · Unit 5 · Topic 19

Every reaction on one A4 page: reagents, conditions and reaction type for each arrow, colour coded, with the key tests.

Download the map2 reactions · A4 landscape · print ready
Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Amino Acids Map

Edexcel International A Level Chemistry · Unit 5 · Topic 19

Every reaction on one A4 page: reagents, conditions and reaction type for each arrow, colour coded, with the key tests.

Download the map4 reactions · A4 portrait · print ready
Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Amines Summary Map

Edexcel International A Level Chemistry · Unit 5 · Topic 19A Amines

All of Topic 19A on one A4 page: classes, routes to amines, bases, nucleophiles, copper(II) ions, diazonium ions and dyes.

Download the map6 key ideas + worked examples · A4 portrait · print ready
Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Amides and Polymers Map

Edexcel International A Level Chemistry · Unit 5 · Topic 19B Amides and Polymers

All of Topic 19B on one A4 page: amides, condensation, repeat units, hydrogen bonds, addition polymers and soluble films.

Download the map6 key ideas + worked examples · A4 portrait · print ready
Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Amino Acids Summary Map

Edexcel International A Level Chemistry · Unit 5 · Topic 19C Amino Acids and Proteins

All of Topic 19C on one A4 page: amino acids, zwitterions, enantiomers, the polarimeter, peptides and chromatography.

Download the map6 key ideas + worked examples · A4 portrait · print ready

© 2026 Online Learning System. For personal study: printing is allowed; editing, copying and redistribution are not.

Virtual Lessons

Recorded video lessons that teach the topic step by step.

Coming soon

The Virtual Lessons for Topic 19 Organic Nitrogen Compounds are being recorded.

MCQ Bank

Multiple-choice papers on this topic, marked the moment you submit.

Coming soon

The MCQ papers for Topic 19 Organic Nitrogen Compounds are being written.

SAQ Bank

Written, drawn and worked exam practice on this topic.

Coming soon

The exam practice papers for Topic 19 Organic Nitrogen Compounds are being written.

Revision Game

Match reagents to products, free, with your board's reagents and conditions.

Illustration of memory game cards, two turned face up as a matching pairFree

Revision Game: Amines and amides · Condensation polymers

Turn the cards over two at a time: match reagents to what they make, and find how each product is made.

A free memory game on the reactions in this topic, with your board's reagents, conditions and spec points.

  • Two ways to playMatch each set of reagents to what the reaction makes, or see a product and find the reactant and reagents that make it.
  • Drawn the way the exam draws themEvery structure is drawn in ChemDraw, with the reagents and conditions your exam board asks for.
  • It countsRounds earn XP and keep your streak going, and every correct match shows in your KASP analytics, apart from your marks.

Study Cards

Pick a deck, then turn each card to check what you remember.

Specification

Every specification point in this topic, in the exam board's own words. Rate how confident you are with each one.

Self-assessment · 39 points

Sign in to rate how confident you feel about each point. Your ratings are saved to your account, follow you to any device, and appear beside your KASP analytics, kept apart from your marks.

0 Confident0 Getting there0 Not yet39 Not rated

19.1

  1. a

    understand nomenclature of amides

    Revise
  2. b

    understand nomenclature of amines

    Revise
  3. c

    understand nomenclature of amino acids

    Revise
  4. d

    be able to draw structural formulae of amides

    Revise
  5. e

    be able to draw displayed formulae of amides

    Revise
  6. f

    be able to draw skeletal formulae of amides

    Revise
  7. g

    be able to draw structural formulae of amines

    Revise
  8. h

    be able to draw displayed formulae of amines

    Revise
  9. i

    be able to draw skeletal formulae of amines

    Revise
  10. j

    be able to draw structural formulae of amino acids

    Revise
  11. k

    be able to draw displayed formulae of amino acids

    Revise
  12. l

    be able to draw skeletal formulae of amino acids

    Revise

19.2

  1. i

    understand the reactions of primary aliphatic amines (using butylamine as an example) and aromatic amines (using phenylamine as an example) with: water to form an alkaline solution

    Revise
  2. ii

    understand the reactions of primary aliphatic amines (using butylamine as an example) and aromatic amines (using phenylamine as an example) with: acids to form salts

    Revise
  3. iii

    understand the reactions of primary aliphatic amines (using butylamine as an example) and aromatic amines (using phenylamine as an example) with: halogenoalkanes

    Revise
  4. iv

    understand the reactions of primary aliphatic amines (using butylamine as an example) and aromatic amines (using phenylamine as an example) with: ethanoyl chloride

    Revise
  5. v

    understand the reactions of primary aliphatic amines (using butylamine as an example) and aromatic amines (using phenylamine as an example) with: copper(II) ions to form a complex ion

    Revise

19.3

  1. a

    understand that amines are miscible with water due to hydrogen bonding

    Revise
  2. b

    understand reasons for the difference in basicity between ammonia and primary aliphatic amines

    Revise
  3. c

    understand reasons for the difference in basicity between ammonia and primary aromatic amines

    Revise
  4. d

    understand reasons for the difference in basicity between primary aliphatic amines and primary aromatic amines

    Revise

19.4

  1. i

    understand, in terms of reagents and general reaction conditions, the preparation of primary aliphatic amines: from halogenoalkanes

    Revise
  2. ii

    understand, in terms of reagents and general reaction conditions, the preparation of primary aliphatic amines: by the reduction of nitriles

    Revise

19.5

  1. 19.5

    know the preparation of aromatic amines by the reduction of aromatic nitrocompounds using tin and concentrated hydrochloric acid

    Revise

19.6

  1. a

    be able to describe reaction of aromatic amines with nitrous acid to form benzenediazonium ions

    Revise
  2. b

    be able to describe coupling reaction of benzenediazonium ions with phenol to form a dye

    Revise

19.7

  1. 19.7

    understand that amides can be prepared from acyl chlorides

    Revise

19.8

  1. i

    be able to describe: condensation polymerisation for the formation of polyamides such as nylon and proteins

    Revise
  2. ii

    be able to describe: addition polymerisation, including poly(propenamide) and poly(ethenol)

    Revise

19.9

  1. a

    be able to draw structural formulae of repeat units of condensation polymers in 19.8

    Revise
  2. b

    be able to draw structural formulae of repeat units of addition polymers in 19.8

    Revise

19.10

  1. a

    be able to comment on physical properties of polyamides in terms of hydrogen bonding

    Revise
  2. b

    be able to comment on solubility in water of poly(ethenol) in terms of hydrogen bonding

    Revise
  3. c

    be able to relate poly(ethenol) solubility to soluble laundry bags

    Revise
  4. d

    be able to relate poly(ethenol) solubility to liquid-detergent capsules

    Revise

19.11

  1. i

    be able to describe experiments to investigate the characteristic behaviour of amino acids limited to: acidity and basicity and the formation of zwitterions

    Revise
  2. ii

    be able to describe experiments to investigate the characteristic behaviour of amino acids limited to: effect of aqueous solutions on plane-polarised monochromatic light

    Revise
  3. iii

    be able to describe experiments to investigate the characteristic behaviour of amino acids limited to: formation of peptide bonds by condensation polymerisation

    Revise

19.12

  1. 19.12

    CORE PRACTICAL 15 Analysis of some inorganic and organic unknowns.