In a 2-l. round-bottomed flask fitted with a mechanical stirrer and surrounded by an ice-salt bath is placed 215 g. (1.75 moles) of ethyl chloroacetate (Note 1). Vigorous stirring is started, and to the cold ester (Note 2) 200 cc. of chilled aqueous ammonia (sp. gr. 0.9) is added. The solution is stirred in the cold for about fifteen minutes; then another 200-cc. portion of aqueous ammonia is added, and the stirring is continued for about fifteen minutes. The mixture is then allowed to stand for thirty minutes, filtered with suction, and washed with two 25-cc. portions of cold water to remove ammonium chloride. The yield of air-dried material melting at 118–119° (Note 3) is 128–138 g. (78–84 per cent of the theoretical amount).

This product contains traces of ammonium chloride which may be removed by crystallization from water. When 100 g. of crude product is recrystallized from 400 cc. of water, about 80 g. of product is obtained. The recrystallized product melts at 119–120°.