Syntheses of β-Amino Acids and Their N-Alkyl Derivatives

N-Benzylaminomethylsuccinic acid had been prepared by the addition of excess of benzylamine to itaconic acid in aqueous solution. N-Alkyl-β-alanines had been prepared by the addition of amines to acrylic acid. The reaction of primary aliphatic amines with methacrylic acid gave in some cases N-alkyl-β-aminoisobutyric acids and in other cases polymerization products. Aminomethylsuccinic acid, β-alanine, and β-aminoisobutyric acid were obtained by reduction of the corresponding N-benzyl derivatives.