A process for preparing amide acetals represented in Formula I comprising dehydrating a reactant mixture comprising reactants selected from a group consisting of N-acyl dialkanol amines, O-acyl dialkanol amines and mixtures thereof ##STR00001## wherein n and m are independently 2 or 3; p is 1, 2 or 3; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 can be the same or different and are each independently hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl, cycloalkyl or aryl group with 1-20 C atoms; R represents hydrogen, a branched or linear alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or an alkenyl group with 1-20 C-atoms, each may have one or more substituents.