The Ammonolysis of Trichloroethylene to Glycine

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/bcsj.55.33

Glycine was obtained by the ammonolysis of trichloroethylene with aqueous ammonia. Various alkalines, such as alkaline metal hydroxides, carbonates, and hydrogencarbonates, accelerated the reaction; the yield of glycine was 40-70percent after a 4 h reaction at 180 deg C. Our results on the effect of alkalines indicate that ammonolysis proceeded sequentially via the formation of aminoacetonitrile. A good yield of the intermediate compound, aminoacetonitrile, was obtained by heating trichloroethylene at 70 deg C with anhydrous ammonia under reaction conditions.