Tartradiamide formation by thermolysis of tartaric acid with alkylamines

The formation of N,N′-dialkyltartramides by microwave-assisted reactions and by conventional thermolysis was investigated. Thus, the thermolysis of l-tartaric acid with n-hexylamine at 200 °C showed that all the possible stereoisomers of N,N′-dihexyltartramide were formed albeit with partial racemization only. The same was observed for the microwave-assisted reaction.