PURPOSE: To economically advantageously obtain compds. useful as sterilizing agents, preservatives, and antiseptics in a high yield by reacting an epoxide with ammonium carbamate and then reacting the product with hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide or acetic acid.

CONSTITUTION: A new compd. of formula II is obtained by reacting a compd. of formula I (wherein R is a 5-18C aliph. radical; X is O, S, NH or CH2; and R1 and R2 together represent an epoxy radical) with ammonium carbamate in a lower alkanol at a temp. from ambient temp. to 55°C. Then this compd. is reacted with hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide or acetic acid, and, if necessary, the reaction product is converted into its salt to obtain the intended compd. of formula III. The intended product can be obtained without using an expensive phthalimide or dangerous hydrazine.