Abstract: This invention discloses a novel class of hydroxyalkyl oxazolidines, and polyoxymethyleneoxazolidines to be used as bactericides in aqueous surface coating compositions.The compounds have the following structural formulas: ##STR1## wherein R is hydrogen, an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group of 3 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryl group of 6 to 10 carbon atoms; R.sup.1 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group of 3 to 8 carbon atoms, an aryl group of 6 to 10 carbon atoms containing alkyl, halogen, alkoxy, nitro or other substitutuents; R.sup.2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cycloalkyl group of 3 to 8 carbon atoms, or an aryl group of 6 to 10 carbon atoms; and n represents an integer in the range of 0 to 8.