A facile method for the synthesis of nonsymmetrical dialkylamines (C n H 2n+1 ) 2 NH (n = 1-12) using the Ph 2 P(O) protecting group was developed. The method includes successive transfor mation of monoalkylamines to primary diphenylphosphinic N alkylamides Ph 2 P(O)NHR( R´ = C n H 2n+1 , n = 1-12) by the Todd-Atherton reaction, phase transfer N alkylation of these compounds, and hydrolysis of the secondary amides Ph 2 P(O)NR´R ″ thus formed. When the (EtO) 2 P(O) and Bu 2 P(O) protecting groups are used, N alkylation of primary amides is accompanied by the formation of Et-O and P-N bond cleavage products, respectively. A study of the stability of the N alkylamides R 2 P(O)NHR´ (R = Ph, p MeC 6 H 4 , p ClC 6 H 4 , Bu) under strong alkaline conditions used in the phase transfer N alkylation showed that an increase in the electron donating ability of substituents at both the nitrogen atom and the phosphorus atom results in a decrease in the degree of P-N bond cleavage. The primary and secondary diphenylphosphinic amides containing a β hydroxyethyl group at the nitrogen atom are extremely unstable under the alkaline conditions and are converted quantitatively to the diphenylphosphinic acid salt.Quaternary ammonium compounds exhibit rather broad range of bactericidal activity. 1 Compounds con taining at least one higher radical in the molecule are the most active. 2 Besides, it was found that the activity of compounds with nonsymmetrical structure is much higher than that of symmetric salts. 3 In order to obtain a number of nonsymmetrical ammonium salts and study the struc ture-bactericidal activity relationship, we first prepared the starting nonsymmetrical dialkylamines. Among numerous methods for the synthesis of these compounds, which are surveyed rather comprehensively in a review, 4 the main methods are direct N alkylation and reductive alkylation of primary amines. However, these reactions lead very often (especially in the case of sterically non hindered amines) to mixtures of secondary and tertiary amines and in some cases, quaternary ammonium salts, 5,6 whose separation creates difficulties and reduces the yield of the target product. These drawbacks can be eliminated by using protecting groups. We chose diethoxy , 7 diphe nyl , and dibutylphosphoryl groups. This route 7 comprises successive transformation of primary amines to the cor responding primary diethylphosphoric, diphenyl and dibutylphosphinic amides, their subsequent N alkyla tion, and cleavage of the resulting secondary amides with HCl in THF (Scheme 1).
Scheme 1R´, R ″ = C n H 2n+1 , n = 1-12; R = EtO, Ph, Bu It is noteworthy that the acidifying effect* of substi tuted P=O groups and the known stability of both primary and secondary amides of P V acids in alkaline medium 10 provide for easy introduction of various alkyl substituent to nitrogen 7,11 in stage 2, while the high lability of the P-N bonds of these compounds in acidic medium, which * The replacement of the hydrogen atom in the NH 2 group of aniline by (EtO) 2 P(O) increases the NH aci...