Quaternaries as Intermediates in the Thermal and Oxidative Degradation of Alkanolamines

Abstract

Mass spectral evidence is presented for the formation of quaternaries in the high temperature (140 °C) autoxidation of MDEA. Additionally it is demonstrated that the quaternary reacts with neutral amines in a manner consistent with an SN2 mechanism. Rate studies are presented which could be extended to include a systematic variation of nucleophiles, quaternaries, temperature, and solvent composition and allow precise modeling of thermal degradation.