A NEW APPROACH TO THE SELECTIVE ALKYLATION OF DIFUNCTIONAL COMPOUNDS

Alkylation of some diamines containing both tertiary and primary amino groups is described; it proceeds exclusively with less nucleophilic t ertiary amino group when an appropriate lanthanide chelate is added to the reaction mixture. Under similar conditions the alkylation of 3-(t etrahydro-2-thienyl)-pyridine affects both of its nucleophilic centers . Plausible explanations of this fact is discussed. The effect of the presence of different lanthanide complexes upon difunctional compound alkylation has been investigated.