Preparation of diaziridines and products therefrom

A process for preparing an N,N'-dialkyldiaziridine or bicyclic diaziridine of the general formula I or II:

• ##STR11## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each alkyl or aryl, A is a substituted or unsubstituted one-membered carbon bridge and B is a substituted or unsubstituted three-membered methylene bridge, by reacting an aliphatic monoamine or 1,3-diamine with an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic aldehyde or ketone in the presence of an oxidizing agent consisting of an aqueous solution of an alkali or alkaline earth metal salt of hypochlorous acid, which consists essentially of reacting a mixture of 2 moles of the monoamine or 1 mole of a 1,3-diamine with one mole of an aldehyde or ketone at a temperature in the range of from 40.degree.-50.degree. C. while thoroughly mixing with 1 mole of said oxidizing agent, extracting the diaziridine formed from the reaction mixture with an organic solvent and finally separating the diaziridine product from said organic solvent by distillation.