PURPOSE: To readily obtain the titled compound useful as a raw material for producing optically active α-amino acids in high yield, by hydrolyzing an imidazolidinone-4 compound in an aqueous solution at a specific temperature while successively taking out ketones formed as a by-product to the outside of the reaction system.
CONSTITUTION: A compound expressed by formula I (R1 and R2 are H, lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, furyl, pyridyl, thiazolyl, imidazolyl or indolyl; R3 and R4 are lower alkyl or lower alkylene forming a 5- W 6-membered ring) heated in an aqueous solution at 80W150°C temperature while successively talking out ketones formed as a by- product to industrially and advantageously obtain the aimed compound, expressed by formula II and useful as an intermediate for various industrial chemicals, feed additives, food additives or medicines, etc. According to this method, the compound expressed by formula I formed as a by-produce in producing the compound expressed by formula II from α-aminonitrile can be efficiently converted into the compound expressed by formula II and recovered.
KONDO TOSHIO
IGARASHI HIDEO
UCHIYAMA TAKAKO
KIMURA KAZUO
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