Describe the differences between phosphines and amines.

Phosphines and amines are two types of organic compounds that differ in their functional groups.

Phosphines are organic compounds that contain a phosphorus atom bonded to three organic groups and one lone pair of electrons. They are similar to amines in their basicity and ability to form salts, but they have a weaker basicity due to the larger size of the phosphorus atom. Phosphines are commonly used as ligands in coordination chemistry and as reducing agents in organic synthesis.

Amines, on the other hand, are organic compounds that contain a nitrogen atom bonded to two or three organic groups. They are basic due to the lone pair of electrons on the nitrogen atom, which can accept a proton to form a positive charge. Amines can be classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary depending on the number of organic groups bonded to the nitrogen atom. They are important in biological systems as they are found in many biomolecules, such as amino acids, neurotransmitters, and nucleotides.

In terms of physical properties, amines have higher boiling points than phosphines due to the stronger hydrogen bonding between the nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. Amines also have a stronger odor than phosphines, which are typically odorless. Additionally, amines are more polar than phosphines due to the electronegativity difference between nitrogen and hydrogen, while phosphorus and hydrogen have a smaller electronegativity difference.