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ammonium group

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | 682 words | Copyright

ammonium group in chemistry, a positively charged nitrogen atom joined by single bonds to four other atoms or groups. The simplest ammonium group, NH 4+ , is formed by protonation of ammonia , NH 3 , e.g., by its reaction with hydrogen chloride, HCl, to form ammonium chloride, NH 4 Cl, an ammonium compound. Organic ammonium compounds are formed by the reaction of an alkyl halide with an amine (see amino group ), for example, ethyl chloride, C 2 H 5 Cl, reacts with triethylamine, (C 2 H 5 ) 3 N, to form tetraethyl ammonium chloride, (C 2 H 5 ) 4 N + Cl - . They are also formed by reaction of an amine with a mineral acid or by reaction of an alkyl halide with ammonia.

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