Sodium Hydroxide → N-Methyl-N-phenyl-glycine

Participants

Reaction Steps

To 500 ml of water/methanol (1/4 weight ratio), 30 g of N-phenyl-N-methylglycine methyl ester and 12.3 g (1.1 equivalent weight) of NaOH were added and refluxed for 2 hours. The methanol was evaporated from the reaction mixture under reduced pressure. Then, water was added thereto and unreacted starting materials were extracted with methylene chloride. Subsequently, 10% hydrochloric acid was added to the aqueous layer to adjust the pH at about 5, followed by extraction with ether. The ether layer wad dried, and solvent distilled to yield N-methyl-N-phenylglycine in 27.1 g.

Provenance & Evidence