Process for manufacturing a cyclic urea adduct of an ethyleneamine compound

A process for preparing ethyleneamines or urea derivatives thereof, which process comprises the steps of:

• manufacturing a cyclic urea adduct of an ethyleneamine compound, the ethyleneamine compound having a linear —NH—CH2—CH2—NH— group,
• in an absorption step contacting a liquid medium comprising an ethyleneamine compound having a linear —NH—CH2—CH2—NH— group with a CO2-containing gas stream at a pressure of from about 1 to about 20 bara, resulting in the formation of a liquid medium into which CO2 has been absorbed,
• bringing the liquid medium to cyclic urea formation conditions, and in an urea formation step forming cyclic urea adduct of the ethyleneamine compound, urea formation conditions including a temperature of at least about 110° C., wherein the total pressure at the end of the urea formation step is at most about 20 bara, wherein the temperature in the absorption step is lower than that of the cyclic urea formation step, and
• where the cyclic urea adduct of an ethyleneamine compound is a cyclic urea adduct of ethyleneamine, reacting the cyclic urea adduct of an ethyleneamine with an ethanolamine-functional compound, or a urea- or carbamate additive thereof, or where the cyclic urea adduct of an ethyleneamine compound is a cyclic urea adduct of a hydroxyethylethyleneamine, reacting the cyclic urea adduct of a hydroxyethylethyleneamine with a ethyleneamine compound, or a urea- or carbamate additive thereof.