What happens when an amide reacts with water in the presence of a strong acid or base?

When an amide reacts with water in the presence of a strong acid like HCl, it undergoes hydrolysis to produce a carboxylic acid and an ammonium or amine salt. The reaction can be represented as follows:

R-CONH2 + H2O + HCl → R-COOH + NH4Cl

In this reaction, the amide bond is broken, and the carboxylic acid (R-COOH) and ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) are formed.

On the other hand, when an amide reacts with water in the presence of a strong base like NaOH, it also undergoes hydrolysis but produces a carboxylate salt and an amine. The reaction can be represented as:

R-CONH2 + H2O + NaOH → R-COONa + NH3

In this case, the amide bond is broken, and the carboxylate salt (R-COONa) and ammonia (NH3) are formed.

These reactions are important in organic chemistry as they demonstrate how amides can be converted into carboxylic acids or carboxylate salts under different conditions.

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