The products of the condensation reactions of twenty-six different 1,2-amino alcohols with excess aqueous formaldehyde were identified, with the help of a simple and effective analytical technique based on mass spectroscopy. With a few exceptions, which arise from steric or solubility effects, most amino alcohols form bis(oxazolidine)methane adducts preferentially.
Treatment of chiral amino alcohols 1 with an excess of formaldehyde followed by reaction with NaOH at room temperature provides optically active C-2-symmetric N,N'-methylenebisoxazolidines 2 in high yield.