The present invention relates to a process to prepare ethyleneamines of the formula NH.sub.2(C.sub.2H.sub.4NH).sub.pH wherein p is at least 3 or derivatives thereof wherein one or more units NHC.sub.2H.sub.4NH may be present as a cyclic ethylene urea unit or between two units NHC.sub.2H.sub.4NH a carbonyl moiety is present, by reacting an ethanolamine-functional compound, an amine-functional compound in the presence of a carbon oxide delivering agent, wherein the molar ratio of ethanolamine-functional compound to amine-functional compound is at least 0.7:1 and the molar ratio of carbon oxide delivering agent to amine-functional compound is at least 0.05:1.

The present invention is directed to a method for enhancing the rate of formation of the reaction products of a carboxylic acid and a urea having the formula: ##STR00001##
where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted and unsubstituted alkyl, allyl, vinyl and alkoxyl groups having from 1-6 carbon atoms, substituted and unsubstituted phenyl groups and the halides. The rate of formation is enhanced by adding acid to a solution including the carboxylic acid and the urea. Preferably, the reaction product of the present invention is N,N-diformylurea or N,N-diacetylurea. These reaction products, e.g., diformylurea, have been found to produce significantly improved growth in a variety of agricultural products when applied to the seed, to the surrounding soil or to the foliage of the emerging plant.

The present invention is directed to a method for enhancing the rate of formation of the reaction products of a carboxylic acid and a urea having the formula: ##STR00001##
where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, substituted and unsubstituted alkyl, allyl, vinyl and alkoxyl groups having from 1-6 carbon atoms, substituted and unsubstituted phenyl groups and the halides. The rate of formation is enhanced by adding acid to a solution including the carboxylic acid and the urea. Preferably, the reaction product of the present invention is N,N-diformylurea or N,N-diacetylurea. These reaction products, e.g., diformylurea, have been found to produce significantly improved growth in a variety of agricultural products when applied to the seed, to the surrounding soil or to the foliage of the emerging plant.

The disclosure is directed to: (a) phosphacycle ligands; (b) catalyst compositions comprising phosphacycle ligands; and (c) methods of using such phosphacycle ligands and catalyst compositions in bond forming reactions.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a compound having the formula (I): ##STR00001## wherein R is alkyl or alkylaryl; each of X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3, X.sub.4 and X.sub.5 is, independently, H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, alkylthio, haloalkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl carbonyl, hydroxyalkyl, ester, acid halogen, SH, OH, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, CN or CF.sub.3; Y is O or S; and and Z is a halogen.

The present invention provides a process for preparing a compound having the formula (I):

##STR00001## wherein R is alkyl or alkylaryl; each of X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3, X.sub.4 and X.sub.5 is, independently, H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, alkoxy, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, alkylthio, haloalkylthio, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, alkoxycarbonyl, alkyl carbonyl, hydroxyalkyl, ester, acid halogen, SH, OH, NH.sub.2, NO.sub.2, CN or CF.sub.3; Y is O or S; and and Z is a halogen.