in shulgins reductive animation of ketone he uses methylamine
hydrochloride in water and 25% NaOH. As an alternative he suggests
aqueous methylamine and then NaCl with 25% NaOH diluted with even more
water. It seems that this alternative uses an excesive amount of water
in a reaction where water should be reduced to a minimum. Why is
this?. Why the salt and why use the base when the amine is already
'free'.
