A slurry of 8.0 g. of 4-(hexadecylamino)benzoic acid hydrochloride in 175 ml. of CH2Cl2 and 50 ml. of glyme containing 10 ml. of thionyl chloride was heated at reflux for 2 hours. The clear solution was concentrated in vacuo giving 9.5 g. of an amber oil. This oil was diluted with 50 ml. of pyridine containing 0.1 g. of 4-dimethylaminopyridine and 9.1 g. of 3-amino-1,2-propandiol. The reaction was stirred for two days at room temperature. The solution was partitioned between ether and water. The water phase was extracted twice more with 100 ml. of chloroform and ether. The combined organic layer was extracted with water, dried over MgSO4 and evaporated to a tacky solid. The solid was recrystallized from acetone-water and a second time from benzene. A small sample was recrystallized from acetonitrile, m.p. 121°-122° C.
