Diglycolic anhydride or diglycolic acyl chloride was prepared by the oxidation of diethylene glycol followed by dehydration or chloro-substitution. By reaction between diglycolic anhydride or diglycolic acyl chloride and dialkyl amine in the presence of pyridine as a catalyst, a series of novel water-soluble oxa-amide compounds, including N,N'-dialkyl-3-oxaglutaramic acid and N,N,N',N'-tetraalkyl-3-oxaglutar- amide (alkyl＝methyl, ethyl and propyl) were synthesized and identified with ¹H NMR and IR spectra.

Key words: oxa-diamide, oxa-monoamide, synthesis, characterization