A high-yielding synthesis and kinetics of glycine formation from monochloroacetic acid and NH3 in the presence of hexamethylenetetramine

Glycine was synthesized with high yield (>98 %) from ammonia and monochloro acetic acid in the presence of hexamethylenetetramine in an aqueous solutio n. Hexamethylenetetramine accelerates the reaction between monochloroacetic acid and ammonia, the undesirable side-reactions, such as formation of imi nodiacetic acid are suppressed, thus glycine can be obtained with high yiel d. On the basis of detailed kinetic investigations the apparent rate consta nts and the reaction mechanism are also described.