36-38, 45-47 conversion of N-benzylamino alcohols into N-benzylalkanediamines, which were acylated and then debenzylated by catalytic hydrogenation to yield 36-38 and 45-47 (method D). The N-acylpropanediamines (R, or R2= H) were synthesized by a different route (Scheme IV, method E), namely, by using the 3-(methy1amino) propanenitrile as the starting material, which was first acylated and then reduced to provide a mixture of primary and ...