The solid dihydrate of N,N-dimethyl-n-tetradecylamine oxide.

Crystalline N,N-dimethyl-n-tetradecylamine oxide has been prepared by reaction of liquid N,N-dimethyl-n-tetradecylamine with 70% H(2)O(2) in the presence of CO(2) as catalyst. The resulting soft low-melting solid was crystallized as the dihydrate, viz. C(16)H(35)NO.2H(2)O. The extended hydrocarbon chains pack in a parallel fashion, with the N-oxide ends of the molecules forming hydrogen bonds with the water molecules in hydrophilic layers. The N-O distance is 1.411 (3) A.