Cyclic compounds are made of atoms bonded in a ring shape, with most being organic and containing carbon. Heterocyclic compounds have a ring made of different elements, with heterocyclic amines being a combination of these and amines. Amines are derived from ammonia and are often essential for organic life. Heterocyclic amines can be toxic or essential for human life, and are classified based on their heteroatoms, ring size, and amine bonds. Aromatic amines are less alkaline and more compatible with the human body, while aliphatic amines are more alkaline and potentially toxic.
A cyclic chemical compound is composed of elementary atoms bonded together in a ring shape. Most cyclic compounds are organic, containing carbon. The ring of a heterocyclic compound is made up of two or more different elements. Amines are complex organic compounds derived from the basic structure of ammonia, which consists of three hydrogen atoms bonded to a nitrogen. When these two types of compounds combine, the resulting substances are collectively called heterocyclic amines.
Carbon bonds in a ring structure, usually in configurations of five or six atoms, which adds to the element’s versatility. Also, the ring remains stable when any of the carbon atoms are replaced by another element. Common combinations include sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen. These substitutions in a ring are called heteroatoms. A heterocyclic compound can be inorganic, but most contain at least one carbon atom.
Heterocyclic amines consist of at least one ring of two or more different elements. Related to this ring is at least one amine. From the basic structure of ammonia, one or more of its hydrogen atoms are replaced by what is called a substituent. It can be a different element, or even a complex functional group of elements that would otherwise be unstable were it not bonded to the nitrogen atom. Most amines have a string structure and are basic chemicals, also called alkalis, the opposite of acid.
Many amines are essential for organic life. Amino acids, the building blocks of proteins that make up all living tissue, are made up of amines. When linked to a heterocyclic compound, however, their effects are quite variable and not fully understood. An example of a heterocyclic amine is thiamine, otherwise known as vitamin B1. Other examples of heterocyclic amines are toxic carcinogens, known to cause cancer in humans.
In general, heterocyclic amines are classified and studied based on three distinguishing characteristics. This includes what element or elements its heteroatoms are, how many atoms are in the heterocyclic ring, and the characteristics of its amine bonds. The nicotine in tobacco, for example, is a carcinogenic alkaloid with one nitrogen and four carbon atoms in its ring bonded to another similar heterocyclic amino group. Nicotinic acid, also called niacin or vitamin B3, is built around a ring of six atoms and is essential for human life.
The chemical characteristics of amines linked to a heterocyclic ring are divided into two classes: aromatic or aliphatic. Aromatic, or aryl, does not refer to the smell, but rather to the availability of electrons to migrate and rotate around its attached cyclic ring. It makes the combined substance less alkaline and more compatible with the acidic chemicals in the human body. Aliphatic, or alkyl, is more alkaline and presumably more toxic. An example of a heterocyclic aliphatic amine is the chemical responsible for the smell of rotting fish.
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