Compounds containing ester groups and tertiary amino groups and optionally hydroxyl groups are made by reacting optionally hydroxyfunctional acetoacetic acid esters of monofunctional or polyfunctional alcohols (particularly polyfunctional polyether polyols) with primary/tertiary polyamines (particularly diamines). These compounds are useful as optionally incorporable catalysts for the isocyanate addition reaction in the production of polyurethane foams by the isocyanate polyaddition process.