Uses īenzylamine is used as a masked source of ammonia, since after N- alkylation, the benzyl group can be removed by hydrogenolysis: C 6H 5CH 2NH 2 + 2 RBr → C 6H 5CH 2NR 2 + 2 HBr C 6H 5CH 2NR 2 + H 2 → C 6H 5CH 3 + R 2NH Benzylamine is degraded biologically by the action of the monoamine oxidase B enzyme, resulting in benzaldehyde. This hydrolase catalyses the conversion of N-benzylformamide into benzylamine with formate as a by-product. Biochemistry īenzylamine occurs biologically from the action of the N-substituted formamide deformylase enzyme, which is produced by Arthrobacter pascens bacteria. It was first produced accidentally by Rudolf Leuckart in the reaction of benzaldehyde with formamide in a process now known as the Leuckart reaction, a general process in which reductive amination of aldehydes or ketones yields the corresponding amine. It is also produced by the reduction of benzonitrile and reductive amination of benzaldehyde, both done over Raney nickel. Benzylamine can be produced by several methods, the main industrial route being the reaction of benzyl chloride and ammonia.