Making a secondary amine

Making a secondary amine The reaction doesn't stop at a primary amine. The ethylamine also reacts with bromoethane  - in the same two stages as before. In the first stage, you get a salt formed - this time, diethylammonium bromide.  Think of this as ammonium bromide with two hydrogens replaced by ethyl groups. There is again the possibility of a reversible reaction between this salt and excess  ammonia in the mixture. The ammonia removes a hydrogen ion from the diethylammonium ion to leave a  secondary amine - diethylamine. A secondary amine is one which has two alkyl groups  attached to the nitrogen. This time there isn't any hydrogen left on the nitrogen to be removed. The reaction stops  here.