Synthesis of 2-chloro-N,N,N-trialkylethanaminium salts and related hydroxy-analogues as analytical standards for monitoring potential chemical warfare agent precursors

Abstract

A set of choline related derivatives of 2-chloro-N,N,N-trialkylethanaminium salts N-substituted with some simple alkyl groups has been prepared and characterized by standard methods. Two methodologies based on alkylation were developed. One utilized the direct alkylation of 2-chloro-N,N-dialkylethanamines to afford the desired aminium salts. Whenever this method failed a three-step methodology starting with the alkylation of the 2-(dialkylamino)ethanols was used. All these derivatives can be used as analytical standards for monitoring potential chemical warfare agent precursors mainly by the HPLC-MS methods.