| abstract |
The invention pertains to a process for preparing hydroxyethylethyleneamines, ethyleneamines, or mixtures thereof, and/or ethylene urea derivatives thereof comprising the step of reacting diethanolamine with an amine-functional compound comprising at least two –NH-units of which at least one is selected from the group of primary amine groups and cyclic secondary amine groups, the amine-functional compound comprising at least one –NH-CH2-CH2-NH-unit wherein one or more -NH- CH2-CH2-NH-units in the amine-functional compound may be present in the form of cyclic ethylene urea moieties, piperazine moieties, or linear ethylene urea moieties, in the presence of a carbon oxide delivering agent, wherein -the molar ratio of amine-functional compound to diethanolamine is at least 0.2:1, and -the molar ratio of carbon oxide delivering agent to –NH-CH2-CH2-NH-units in the amine-functional compound is at least 0.1:1. The invention makes it possible to obtain higher hydroxyethylethyleneamines, ethyleneamines, or mixtures thereof, and/or ethylene urea derivatives thereof from diethanolamine, which is an attractive starting material. |