Glycine → Glyphosate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a 59% aqueous formylphosphonic acid solution (5.0 g; 0.23 mol) in deionized water (25 ml) was added glycine (1.56 g; 0.021 mol). The pH of the resultant mixture was adjusted to 7.0 by addition of 2.5N sodium hydroxide. The reaction mixture was then transferred to a 300 ml autoclave, a 10% palladium on carbon catalyst (1.0 g) added, and the reactor sealed and pressurized with hydrogen to 6.89×106N/m2 gauge. After 60 minutes of reaction at room temperature, 3.2 g of N-phosphonomethylglycine was obtained representing a 91% yield on glycine.

Provenance & Evidence