Hydroamination of ethylene with NH3 induced by non-thermal atmospheric plasma

Abstract

We show here that non-thermal atmospheric plasma induces the cleavage of the N–H bond of NH₃ to form aminium radicals, which then add onto ethylene to form ethylamine in 17% yield. This technology can be also extended to n-octene, leading to the formation of 1-octylamine, i.e. with anti-Markovnikov addition of NH₃.