Diazotization is the chemical process by which a primary aromatic amine breaks its cyclic chain to become a diazonium compound. The preparation and reactions of diazonium salts were first identified in 1858 and were the basis of synthetic dyes and several more chemical industries in Europe. In diazotization, sodium nitrite is added to a solution of amine in an acidic aqueous solution at 5 ° C. The amino reacts with the sodium nitrite giving rise to a nitrosamine.
The reaction in general is simple and very general. Substituents of all types, such as alkyls, halogens, hydroxyls, sulfonic acids, may occur at any position of the compound. Heterocyclic amines such as aminopyridines can also be diazotized.
wiki
