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Methylamine (CH3NH2)

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  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Synonyms

Aminomethane, Methanamine, Methyl Amine

Chemical Formula

CH3NH2

Keywords

Molecules; Interstellar; Amino acid

Definition

Methylamine (IUPAC names aminomethane or methanamine) is the simplest primary amine. At standard temperature and pressure, it is a colorless gas, with the liquid boiling at −6.5 °C at 1 atm. It has a fishy odor resembling that of ammonia, not surprisingly since it is derived from ammonia by replacing one hydrogen atom by a methyl group (CH3).

Overview

Methylamine is a possible precursor to the amino acid glycine (e.g., Halfen et al. 2013) as well as various N-methyl amino acids which are sometimes detected in meteorites or laboratory simulations of prebiotic chemistry. The rotational spectrum of methylamine is complex, since it is an asymmetric top with two large amplitude internal motions: methyl group torsion and inversion of the amine hydrogens (see Spectroscopy, Rotational (Radioastronomy)). Nonetheless, it was one of the first relatively complex organic...

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References and Further Reading

  • Halfen DT, Ilyushin VV, Ziurys LM (2013) Insights into surface hydrogenation in the interstellar medium: observations of Methanimine and methyl amine. Astrophys J 767:66–77

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  • Kaifu N, Morimoto M, Nagane K, Akabane K, Iguchi T, Takagi K (1974) Detection of interstellar Mythylamine. Astrophys J 191:L135–L137

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Lederle Graduate Research Tower B 619E, Amherst, MA, USA

    William M. Irvine

Authors
  1. William M. Irvine
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to William M. Irvine .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  2. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA

    William M. Irvine

  3. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  6. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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Irvine, W.M. (2019). Methylamine (CH3NH2). In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_5323-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_5323-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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