A process is provided for converting one or more cyclic ethylene ureas into corresponding ethylene amines and carbon dioxide. The process may include contacting water with one or more cyclic alkylene urea compounds comprising one or more cyclic alkylene urea moieties in a reaction vessel at a temperature of 150 to 400° C., optionally in the presence of an amine compound selected from the group of primary amines, cyclic secondary amines and bicyclic tertiary amines. The mole ratio of water to cyclic alkylene urea moieties is in the range of from about 0.1 to about 20. In the reaction, at least a portion of the cyclic alkylene urea moieties are converted to corresponding alkylenediamine moieties and carbon dioxide. The process may further include removing the carbon dioxide from the liquid reaction mixture in a stripping vessel by feeding a stripping fluid to the stripping vessel. Further, the process may include removing a carbon dioxide-containing stripping fluid.

Monoisocyanate impurities are removed from a process stream obtained when solvent is separated from a polyisocyanate product. The monoisocyanates are reacted with amine compounds at specific molar ratios to produce ureas. The ureas can be discarded by burning, landfilling or otherwise. Alternatively the ureas can be recycled back into the polyisocyanate manufacturing process, where they are formed into biuret compounds that can remain with the polyisocyanate product.

Monoisocyanate impurities are removed from a process stream obtained when solvent is separated from a polyisocyanate product. The monoisocyanates are reacted with amine compounds at specific molar ratios to produce ureas. The ureas can be discarded by burning, landfilling or otherwise. Alternatively the ureas can be recycled back into the polyisocyanate manufacturing process, where they are formed into biuret compounds that can remain with the polyisocyanate product.

Disclosed is a method for efficiently synthesizing primary amines, which comprises using carbonyl compounds or alcohol compounds as reaction substrate, liquid ammonia or alcohol solutions of ammonia as nitrogen source, and hydrogen as hydrogen source, and reacting in reaction medium catalyzed by a cobalt-based catalyst to obtain the primary amines. Due to high catalytic activity, the method can realize the reductive amination of carbonyl compounds and the hydrogen-borrowing amination of alcohol compounds at low temperatures in a short time to obtain the primary amines with high yield, and is applicable to a wide range of substrates. The obtained primary amines can be used as raw materials with high extra value for producing polymers, medicines, dyes and surfactants. Further, the cobalt-based catalyst has a good industrial application prospect because it is magnetic which can facilitate separation and recycling of the catalyst. Moreover, the inexpensive cobalt-based catalyst can significantly reduce industrialization cost.

Disclosed is a method for efficiently synthesizing primary amines, which comprises using carbonyl compounds or alcohol compounds as reaction substrate, liquid ammonia or alcohol solutions of ammonia as nitrogen source, and hydrogen as hydrogen source, and reacting in reaction medium catalyzed by a cobalt-based catalyst to obtain the primary amines. Due to high catalytic activity, the method can realize the reductive amination of carbonyl compounds and the hydrogen-borrowing amination of alcohol compounds at low temperatures in a short time to obtain the primary amines with high yield, and is applicable to a wide range of substrates. The obtained primary amines can be used as raw materials with high extra value for producing polymers, medicines, dyes and surfactants. Further, the cobalt-based catalyst has a good industrial application prospect because it is magnetic which can facilitate separation and recycling of the catalyst. Moreover, the inexpensive cobalt-based catalyst can significantly reduce industrialization cost.

A compound of general formula (I) or (II), wherein R.sub.n and R.sub.m independently represent a C.sub.3-C.sub.27 aliphatic group, R.sub.1 to R.sub.4, which may be the same or different at each occurrence, represent hydrogen or a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, X.sub.1 and X.sub.2, which may be the same or different at each occurrence, represent a linear or branched divalent hydrocarbon radical with 1 to 24 carbon atoms which can be optionally substituted and/or interrupted by one or more heteroatoms or heteroatom containing groups, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6, which may be the same or different at each occurrence, represent a group selected from —O.sup.−, -Alk-CH(OH)—CH.sub.2—SO.sub.3— and -Alk-CO.sub.2— wherein Alk represents an alkylene group. ##STR00001##

A compound of general formula (I) or (II), wherein R.sub.n and R.sub.m independently represent a C.sub.3-C.sub.27 aliphatic group, R.sub.1 to R.sub.4, which may be the same or different at each occurrence, represent hydrogen or a C.sub.1-C.sub.8 alkyl group, X.sub.1 and X.sub.2, which may be the same or different at each occurrence, represent a linear or branched divalent hydrocarbon radical with 1 to 24 carbon atoms which can be optionally substituted and/or interrupted by one or more heteroatoms or heteroatom containing groups, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6, which may be the same or different at each occurrence, represent a group selected from —O.sup.−, -Alk-CH(OH)—CH.sub.2—SO.sub.3— and -Alk-CO.sub.2— wherein Alk represents an alkylene group. ##STR00001##

Urea derivatives, methods for preparing ethylene amines, and methods of polymer manufacturing are provided. An exemplary method for preparing ethylene amines with n ethylene units and n+1 amine groups wherein n is at least 4, or urea derivatives of said ethylene amines, includes reacting an ethanolamine-functional compound, an amine-functional compound, and a carbon oxide delivering agent, wherein the ethanolamine-functional compound is of the formula HO—(C2H4-NH-)qH, q is at least 1, the amine-functional compound is of the formula H2N—(C2H4-NH-)rH, r is at least 1, the sum q+r is at least 4 and wherein optionally one or more of the ethanol-amine functional compound or amine-functional compound are at least partly used as their cyclic carbamate derivative, or linear or cyclic urea derivative.

Urea derivatives, methods for preparing ethylene amines, and methods of polymer manufacturing are provided. An exemplary method for preparing ethylene amines with n ethylene units and n+1 amine groups wherein n is at least 4, or urea derivatives of said ethylene amines, includes reacting an ethanolamine-functional compound, an amine-functional compound, and a carbon oxide delivering agent, wherein the ethanolamine-functional compound is of the formula HO—(C2H4-NH-)qH, q is at least 1, the amine-functional compound is of the formula H2N—(C2H4-NH-)rH, r is at least 1, the sum q+r is at least 4 and wherein optionally one or more of the ethanol-amine functional compound or amine-functional compound are at least partly used as their cyclic carbamate derivative, or linear or cyclic urea derivative.

Compositions and methods useful in administering nucleic acid based therapies, for example association complexes such as liposomes and lipoplexes are described.