Bis-imine primary amine protection of the dialkyltriamine, norspermidine

This Letter details the particular use of salicylaldehyde (2-hydroxybenzaldehyde) for the regiospecific protection of primary amines in a representative polyamine, norspermidine (N-(3-aminopropyl)propane-1,3-diamine) under mild reaction conditions in high yield. The lack of intramolecular hexahydropyrimidine formation allowed for subsequent N2-acylation and N2-alkylation reactions, typical of polyamine synthetic strategies.