Beta-Alanine → Methyl 2-carboxyethyldithiocarbamate

Participants

Reaction Steps

β-Alanine (17.8 g., 0.2 mol.) was added to a solution of 22.4 g. (0.4 mol.) of potassium hydroxide in 500 ml of water at 25° C. Carbon disulfide (12.2 ml., 0.2 mol.) was added and the reaction mixture was refluxed for three hours. The mixture was cooled, 28.4 g. (0.2 mol.) of methyl iodide and 500 ml. of ethanol were added and the resulting mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. The precipitate was collected by filtration, the filtrate was concentrated and the aqueous residue was combined with the solid material and brought to pH 8.5-9 by addition of 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide. The resulting suspension was extracted with ethyl acetate. Ethyl acetate was added to the aqueous phase which was then acidified to pH 1.5 with 6 N hydrochloric acid. The layers were separated and the aqueous phase was extracted again with ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate extracts were combined, dried (MgSO4) and evaporated to dryness to give methyl 2-carboxyethyldithiocarbamate.

Provenance & Evidence