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What is the basicity of methylamine (CH3NH2) in comparison to ammonia (NH3)? Use relevant theories and data to explain your answer.

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Methylamine  CH3NH2  and ammonia  NH3  are both weak bases. To compare their basicity, we can consider factors such as their molecular structure, inductive effects, and the stability of their conjugate acids.1. Molecular structure: Both methylamine and ammonia have a nitrogen atom with a lone pair of electrons that can accept a proton  H+  to form their respective conjugate acids  CH3NH3+ and NH4+ . The ability of the nitrogen atom to donate its lone pair of electrons determines the basicity of these compounds.2. Inductive effect: The presence of an alkyl group  CH3  in methylamine can influence its basicity through the inductive effect. Alkyl groups are electron-donating, which means they can push electron density towards the nitrogen atom. This increases the electron density on the nitrogen atom, making it more likely to donate its lone pair of electrons and act as a base.3. Stability of conjugate acids: The basicity of a compound can also be related to the stability of its conjugate acid. A more stable conjugate acid implies a stronger base. When methylamine accepts a proton, it forms the conjugate acid CH3NH3+. In the case of ammonia, the conjugate acid is NH4+. The positive charge on the nitrogen atom in both conjugate acids can be delocalized by the electron-donating effect of the methyl group in CH3NH3+. This delocalization of the positive charge makes the conjugate acid of methylamine more stable than that of ammonia.Considering these factors, we can conclude that methylamine  CH3NH2  is a stronger base than ammonia  NH3 . The electron-donating effect of the methyl group in methylamine increases the electron density on the nitrogen atom, making it more likely to donate its lone pair of electrons and act as a base. Additionally, the stability of the conjugate acid of methylamine is higher than that of ammonia, further supporting the higher basicity of methylamine.
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