- Joined
- Aug 26, 2014
- Messages
- 35
- Reaction score
- 6
When we have an amide, let's use acetamide as an example. If we were to treat acetamide with an acid (let's say with hydronium), why is the first step to protonate the oxygen? Why would we not protonate the nitrogen first since it is more basic? Why is oxygen more readily protonated?