To obtain an N-substituted-β-alanine or its salt having high stability at low temperature by reacting an aliphatic amine with an acrylic acid derivative in the presence of a specific amount of a phenolic compound and hydrolyzing the resultant addition product.
The objective compound of formula R1NHCH2CH2COOM is produced by reacting (A) an aliphatic primary amine of formula R1NH2 [R1 is a (substituted) 6-24C hydrocarbon group] with (B) 1-2 mol (based on 1 mol of the component A) of an acrylic acid derivative of formula CH2=CHX [X is a carboxylic acid (salt) of formula COOM (M is H, an alkali metal ion, ammonium ion or the like), an ester of formula COOR2 (R2 is a 1-8C, preferably 1-4C hydrocarbon group) or cyano] in the presence of (C) 0.0001-0.1 pt.wt. (based on 100 pts.wt. of the component B) of a phenolic compound as a polymerization inhibitor and hydrolyzing the resultant addition product of formula R1 NHCH2CH2X. A surfactant composition can be produced by using the compound as a component.
WAKUI TSUGIO
OKANO TOMOMICHI
NISHIDA MASAO
LION AKZO KK