High pressure-assisted synthesis of 1,2,3-trialkyldiaziridines from N-chloroalkylamines

New method for the preparation of 1,2,3-trialkyldiaziridines 1 in high yields, based on the transformation of N-chloroalkylamines 3 without using carbonyl compounds in the presence of primary aliphatic amines with the same alkyl fragment, potassium carbonate and a small amount of water in CHCl3 under high pressure (500 MPa), was developed. Diaziridines 1 can be synthesized in the same conditions using a larger amount of potassium carbonate instead of primary aliphatic amines however in lower yields. The kinetic investigations on the synthesis of 1,2-diethyl-3-methyldiaziridine 1a from N-chloroethylamine 3a have shown that the reaction leading to diaziridine 1a proceeds according to the law of the second order.