Question

What happens when methanamine reacts with nitrous acid?

Answer 1

It produces an alcohol (methanol), water and nitrogen gas

Answer 2

I know the general reaction of aliphatic primary amines with nitrous acid gives alcohol and dinitrogen, but I have read somewhere that methanol cannot be prepared by this method as it gives methyl nitrite CH3ONO.

Are you sure that methanol is the product?

Answer 3

Hmm I haven't heard that one before, but you may be right, I'm a bit rusty on this.