O-Aminoacetic acid esters

S g of ethyl glycinate hydrochloride were dissolved in 400 cc of ethanol and 33.5 g of salicylic aldehyde were added. It is refluxed for half an hour and cooled. 38 cc of triethylamine and 25 g of Raney nickel are then added whereafter hydrogenation is carried out at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure. After hydrogen adsorption was complete, the mixture was filtered and the alcohol evaporated off. The residue was taken up with acidified water, extracted with ether to eliminate pert of the by-products, consisting mainly of o-cresol, then made alkaline with ammonia and extracted with ethyl acetate. The solvent was removed in vacuo and the residue crystallized from ether/petroleum ether. 36.7 g of o-hydroxybenzyl-aminoacetic acid ethyl ester melting at 47 C are obtained. 

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