GB734050A - Process for the production of amino alcohols - Google Patents

Abstract

Amino alcohols are prepared by hydrolysing a chlorinated alkyl amine hydrochloride by heating in water whilst maintaining an acid reaction. The hydrolysis may be effected by heating under reflux or under pressure with 5 to 100 times the quantity of water. Reaction temperature may lie between 50 DEG and 200 DEG C. and reaction times of 1 to 20 hours are required. The free amino alcohols are recovered by addition of a strong base such as caustic soda, caustic potash or lime water followed by distillation which may be carried out under vacuum, or the hydrochloric acid formed may be distilled off before adding the strong base. Small amounts of alkenyl amines and amines containing two hydroxyl groups or a keto group, are formed as by-products. The amino alcohols may be used for the production of alkyd resins or other polymerization products. In examples: (1) n-butylamine was neutralized with hydrochloric acid and chlorinated whilst being irradiated with ultra-violet light. The hydrochloric acid formed was distilled off and the residue hydrolysed with water at 150 DEG C. The free base was obtained by addition of caustic soda and 4-amino-butanol was recovered by distillation; (2) n-pentylamine in carbon tetrachloride solution was neutralized with hydrogen chloride, then chlorinated while using actinic light. The solvent was distilled off and the residue hydrolysed and worked up as in (1). The product was 5-amino-pentanol; (3) n-hexylamine was converted to hydrochloride and chlorinated as in (2) and the residue refluxed with water. The product after neutralization and distillation was 6-amino-hexanol; (4) 5-chlor - 1 - amino - pentane hydrochloride was hydrolysed with water at 150 DEG C. The residue was worked up as in (1) and the product was 5-amino-pentanol.