Organic Chemistry: Why are amines typically poor electrophiles?

[sess0r]

Why can’t we perform substitution or elimination reactions on amines?

 

[josh w]

electrophiles mean they want to gain electrons, amines have lone pair above the nitrogen, they have an excess of electrons thus do not want any, and thus again are poor electrophiles

 

[josh w]

electrophiles mean they want to gain electrons, amines have lone pair above the nitrogen, they have an excess of electrons thus do not want any, and thus again are poor electrophiles