One-step amination of dodecyl alcohol (ROH, R = dodecyl group) and dimethylamine (HNMe2) to NN-dimethyl-dodecylamine (RNMe2) using the Cu/Ni/Ca/Ba colloidal catalyst (Cu, 200 ppm) proceeded at an initial reaction rate of 974 mole h(-1) mole-Cu-1, with a selectivity of 98.7% and a conversion of 98.8% at 2 10 degrees C for 4 h. The contents of by-products: aldol, N-methyl-dodecylamine (RNHMe) and didodecylmethylamine (R2NMe) were 0%, 0.1% > and 1.3%, respectively. The possibility for the quantitative synthesis by an advanced catalytic system was discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.