The preparation of a progression of highly hindered aliphatic noncyclic tertiary amines by alkyl sulfate treatment of hindered secondary amines is reported. The yield of tertiary amines is decreased with increased steric hindrance of the nitrogen, and the limitation by steric hindrance is shown. A'-(t-Amyl)-N-(t-buty1) methylamine has the unusually high pK, of 11.9 when determined in water.
