Process for manufacturing chain-extended hydroxyethylethyleneamines, ethyleneamines, or mixtures thereof

The present disclosure pertains to a process for preparing hydroxyethylethyleneamines, ethyleneamines, or mixtures thereof, and/or ethylene urea derivatives thereof. The process includes reacting diethanolamine with an amine-functional compound that includes at least two -NH- units of which at least one is selected from the group of primary amine groups and cyclic secondary amine groups. The amine-functional compound includes at least one -NH-CH2-CH2-NH- unit wherein one or more -NH-CH2-CH2-NH- units in the amine-functional compound may be present in the form of cyclic ethylene urea moieties, piperazine moieties, or linear ethylene urea moieties, in the presence of a carbon oxide delivering agent.