Sodium Hydroxide → 2-((Benzyloxy)methyl)morpholine

199 g of 2-aminoethyl hydrogen sulfate are added to 164 ml of 70% sodium hydroxide solution, the solution is heated to 50° C. and added dropwise to a solution of (RS)-benzyloxymethyloxirane in 280 ml of methanol. After 1 hour at 50° C. a further 280 ml of 70% sodium hydroxide solution are added thereto and the solution is stirred overnight. Then, the reaction mixture is poured on to ice and extracted with toluene. The organic phase is washed with water, dried and evaporated. After distillation there are obtained 26.8 g of rac-2-benzyloxymethylmorpholine, MS: M+ -91=116 (benzyl).