Methods for producing tertiary amine catalysts and uses of such

1. A method for producing a tertiary amine catalyst comprising reacting a first tertiary amine and a second tertiary amine, wherein:

the first tertiary amine is represented by formula (I):

wherein R 1 is selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, an iso-propyl group, an n-propyl group, and a hydroxyalkyl group selected from a hydroxymethyl group, a hydroxyethyl group, a hydroxypropyl group, and a hydroxyisopropyl group, and x and y independently range from 1 to 4; and

the second tertiary amine is represented by formula (II):

wherein R 2 and R 3 are either (i) independently selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, an iso-propyl group, an n-propyl group, and

or (ii) linked to form a ring structure having 2 to 8 carbon atoms; z is in a range of from 1 to 4; and A is a halogen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is a methyl group and each of x and y is 2.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein R 2 and R 3 are each methyl groups and z is 2, thereby providing the tertiary amine catalyst comprising at least one of formulas (III) and (IV):

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is a hydroxyethyl group and each of x and y is 2.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein R 2 and R 3 are each methyl groups and z is 2, thereby providing the tertiary amine catalyst comprising at least one of formulas (V), (VI), and (VII):

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tertiary amine and second tertiary amine are reacted at a temperature in a range of from about 0 to about 150° C. at a pressure ranging from about 1 atm to about 10 atm.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a molar ratio of the first tertiary amine to the second tertiary amine is in a range of from 1:2 to 1:10.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first tertiary amine and the second tertiary amine are reacted in the presence of a base.

9. A method for producing a tertiary amine catalyst comprising reacting a tertiary amine having at least two halogen moieties and a tertiary amine having at least one hydroxyl moiety.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the tertiary amine having at least two halogen moieties comprises 2-dimethylamino ethyl chloride or a solution thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising a step whereby the dimethylamino ethyl chloride is formed by reacting methyl diethanol amine and thionyl chloride.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tertiary amine having at least one hydroxyl moiety is represented by formula (IX):

wherein R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, an iso-propyl group, and an n-propyl group, and n ranges from 1 to 4.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tertiary amine having at least two halogen moieties and a tertiary amine having at least one hydroxyl moiety are reacted in the presence of a base.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein a molar ratio of the tertiary amine having at least two halogen moieties and the tertiary amine having at least one hydroxyl moiety is in a range of from 1:2 to 1:10.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a molar ratio of the tertiary amine having at least two halogen moieties and the heterocyclic compound comprising an amine and an ether functional group is in a range of from 1:2 to 1:10.

16. A method for producing a tertiary amine catalyst comprising reacting a tertiary amine having at least two halogen moieties and a heterocyclic compound comprising an amine and an ether functional group.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tertiary amine having at least two halogen moieties comprises N,N-Bis(2-chloroethyl)methylamine or a solution thereof.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising a step whereby N,N-Bis(2-chloroethyl)methylamine is formed by reacting methyl diethanol amine and thionyl chloride.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the heterocyclic compound is morpholine, thereby providing the tertiary amine catalyst represented by formula (X):

20. A method for producing a tertiary amine catalyst comprising reacting piperazine with a tertiary amine having formula (II):

wherein R 2 and R 3 are either (i) independently selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, an iso-propyl group, an n-propyl group, and

or (ii) linked to form a ring structure having 2 to 8 carbon atoms; z is in a range of from 1 to 4; and A is a halogen.