Process for the preparation of polyalkyl-1-oxa-diazaspirodecane compounds

A process for the preparation of a polyalkyl-1-oxa-diazaspirodecane compound of the Formula I ##STR14## in which n is an integer from 1 to 50 and

• Y is a group of the formula II or III ##STR15## in which the indices 3 and 4 indicate the ring positions in the diazaspirodecane system and one bond of the nitrogen is linked to a CH.sub.2 group of the propylene-2-oxy group,
• R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, an oxygen atom, an NO group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl group, an allyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.22 -acyl group, a benzyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyloxy group or a C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 -cycloalkoxy group,
• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are either identical or different and are a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl, in which case R.sup.4 is a methyl group, or
• R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl group and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, together with the carbon atoms joining them, form a C.sub.5 - or C.sub.6 -cycloalkyl group or a group of the formula ##STR16## R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are identical or different and represent a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.30 -alkyl group or a C.sub.7 -C.sub.12 -phenylalkyl group which is unsubstituted or substituted by chlorine or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, or
• R.sup.5 and R.sup.6, together with the carbon atom joining them, form a C.sub.5 -C.sub.18 -cycloalkyl group which is unsubstituted or substituted by up to four C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl groups, or a group of the formula ##STR17## R.sup.7, if n=1, has no meaning, so that the oxygen atom is bonded to the terminal CH.sub.2 group and forms an oxirane ring, or
• R.sup.7, if n>1 is a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.22 -acyl group, or has no meaning in the terminal monomer unit, so that the oxygen atom is bonded to the terminal CH.sub.2 group and forms an oxirane ring,
• which process comprises reacting a compound of the formula IV ##STR18## in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 have the above-mentioned meaning, and X is a group of the formula II or formula III in which the indices 3 and 4 indicate the ring positions in the diazospirodecane system and one bond of the nitrogen is linked to a hydrogen atom and HZ is an acid radical, or a salt thereof with a proton acid, with an epihalohydrin of the formula V ##STR19## in which Hal is a chlorine, bromine or iodine atom, in a molar ratio of 1:1 to 1:10 in the presence of an equimolar to twenty times the molar amount of solid alkali metal hydroxide or of the corresponding amount of solid alkali metal hydroxide in a mixture with water in a weight ratio of 1:9 to 9:1 as the sole catalyst in a solvent mixture of at least one alcohol and if appropriate an inert organic solvent and, if n>1, heating the resulting epoxy compound VI ##STR20## in which R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 have the above mentioned meaning, to a temperature of 100.degree. to 240.degree. C.