PREPARATION OF POLYALKYLENE POLYAMINES

An improved process for selectively preparing a predominantly noncyclic polyalkylene polyamine compound is disclosed wherein an alkyleneamine compound is contacted with a diol compound in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a phosphorus-containing substance at a temperature of from about 250 DEG to about 350 DEG C under a pressure sufficient to maintain the mixture essentially in liquid phase and the polyalkylene polyamine is then recovered from the resultant reaction mixture. In a preferred embodiment ethylenediamine is contacted with monoethylene diol to produce a predominantly linear polyethylene polyamine product with very low yields of heterocyclic amine materials. The desired polyethylene polyamines produced can be directly recovered from the reaction products by known purification procedures.