Amine Groups
Term: Amine Groups
Abbreviation: (–NH₂)
Category: Chemistry
Definition: Amine groups or amines have nitrogen as part of their functional groups. They are mostly contained in amino acids, proteins, polymers, and other similar materials. They can be divided into primary (–NH₂), secondary (–NHR), and tertiary (–NR₂) amines based on how they are arranged. The nature of amines as bases comes from the fact that they contain an electron pair on the nitrogen, which gives them the ability to accept a proton. When applied to biomaterials and polymeric systems, amine groups promote increased reactivity, increase surface charge, increase hydrophilicity, and promote biocompatibility; thus, they are utilized often for cross-linking and chemical conjugation.
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