Hofmann Elimination and Alkene Formation

Hofmann elimination turns an amine into an alkene through an E2 elimination. The amine is first changed into a good leaving group. A quaternary ammonium salt is formed by treating the amine with an excess of alkyl halide, which gives a halide salt.

Next, the halide salt is converted into a hydrox...

Amines are converted to alkenes through E2 eliminations, although not directly. This is because elimination reactions require a good leaving group, but the amino group is not. 

Amines are indirectly converted to alkenes by transforming the amino group into a good leaving group.

To do this, the amine is exhaustively alkylated to a q...