The invention relates to the use of compounds of the formula (1) in which R1 is C1-C30-alkyl, C2-C30-alkenyl or a group of the formula —CH2—CO—NR2R3 or a C6-C18-aryl radical which may be substituted by a C1-C12-alkyl group, R2, R3 independently of one another, are hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl or C5-C7-cycloalkyl, or R2 and R3, including the nitrogen atom to which they are bonded, form a ring of 4 to 8 ring atoms, it being possible for the ring also to contain oxygen or nitrogen atoms in addition to carbon atoms, A is a C2-C4-alkylene radical and n is an integer from 1 to 20, as gas hydrate inhibitors.