Kinetics of the formation of N,N-dialkylcarbamate from diethanolamine and carbon dioxide in anhydrous ethanol

The rate of formation of N,N-dialkylcarbamate from diethanolamine and carbon dioxide in anhydrous ethanol has been found to depend on the square of the amine concentration. The rate and activation data are consistent with the two-step Danchwerts mechanism, in which a zwitterion intermediate is present at very low concentration and reacts with a second molecule of amine at the diffusion-controlled limit to give a final salt in the rate-determining step.