Intermediates for the preparation of N-[2-(carboxymethoxy) ethyl]-N-(carboxymethyl) glycine

摘要

Compounds represented by the formula wherein R and R1 independently represent H, -CH2CN or -CH2CO2X, with the proviso that R and R1 can not be both H or -CH2CO2X; and X represents hydrogen, an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal are disclosed. These compounds are useful as intermediate compounds in the preparation of N-[2-(carboxymethoxy)ethyl]-N-(carboxy-methyl)glycine. These intermediates can be formed by contacting 3-morpholinone with glycolonitrile under alkaline conditions to form an aminonitrile which can be hydrolyzed and contacted with additional glycolonitrile to form the nitrile intermediate which can be converted to N-[2-(carboxymethoxy)ethyl]-N-(carboxymethyl)glycine via hydrolysis.