PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF AMPHIPHILIC IMIDAZOLINIUM COMPOUNDS

The present invention generally relates to improved processes for the preparation of amphiphilic imidazolinium compounds such as 1-[2-(9(Z)-octadecenoyloxy)ethyl]-2-(8(Z)-heptadecenyl)-3-(2-hydroxyethyl)imidazolinium chloride (DOTIM). In particular, the invention relates to processes for the synthesis of such compounds that avoid the need for toxic reagents, are more economical, and result in less waste than conventional methods. DOTIM and similar compounds can be formulated as cationic liposomes, which are useful as chemical vectors for nucleic acid delivery in gene therapy.