Claims
- 1. A dealkylation process for the production of primary and secondary amines which comprises reacting, in the absence of zinc oxide or cadmium oxide, at a temperature of from 250.degree. C. to 400.degree. C., an amine having the formula: ##STR9## wherein R.sup.1 is selected from groups containing an acidic function promoting solubility of the amine in aqueous alkaline solution and containing at least one acidic --OH group; R.sup.2 is hydrogen, methyl, benzyl, R.sup.1 or R.sup.3, provided that if either of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is --CH.sub.2 COOH the other may not be --CH.sub.2 PO.sub.3 H.sub.2 ; and R.sup.3 is selected from groups having the formula: ##STR10## wherein R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are each individually hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, aryl or substituted aryl, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are independently selected from R.sup.4, R.sup.5, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy, aryloxy, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 thioalkyl, --NHR.sup.8, NR.sup.8.sub.2 (where R.sup.8 is a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group) or, where R.sup.6 is H, R.sup.7 can be a group with the formula: --N (CH.sub.2 COOH).sub.2 ; or R.sup.3 and R.sup.2 together with the nitrogen can form a heterocylic group;
- with an aqueous alkali in at least the stoichiometric amount of alkali needed to neutralize the acidic --OH groups, so as to produce a compound in which the group R.sup.3 has been replaced by hydrogen.
- 2. A process according to claim 1 in which the alkali is sodium hydroxide.
- 3. A process according to claim 2 in which the ratio of moles of alkali per acidic group in the amine is from 1:1 to 6:1.
- 4. A process according to claim 1 in which the temperature is from 300.degree. C.-400.degree. C.
- 5. A process according to claim 1 in which R.sup.3 is a C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkyl group.
- 6. A process according to claim 1 in which R.sup.1 is selected from --CH.sub.2 COOH and --CH.sub.2 PO.sub.3 H.sub.2.
- 7. A process according to claim 6 in which R.sup.1 is --CH.sub.2 PO.sub.3 H.sub.2 and R.sup.2 is R.sup.3 or H.
- 8. A process according to claim 6 in which R.sup.1 is --CH.sub.2 COOH and R.sup.2 is R.sup.3 or H.
- 9. A process according to claim 6 in which R.sup.3 is a C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkyl group and amine is heated at 300.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. in the presence of aqueous sodium hydroxide.
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a Continuation-in-Part of application Ser. No. 725,856, filed Apr. 22, 1985 and now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
725856 |
Apr 1985 |
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