| abstract |
The invention relates to the production of glyceric acid compounds of general formula (I): R<1>R<2>C(OH)-CR<3>(OH)-COOX, wherein R<1>, R<2> independently represent hydrogen, C1-12-alkyl, C6-12-aryl, C7-13-alkaryl or C7-13-aralkyl and X represents hydrogen, alkali, alkaline earth/2 or NH4, by saponification of glyceric acid compounds of formula (II), wherein Y represents NH2 or OR<4> with R<4> C1-12-alkyl or C7-13-aralkyl with ring-opening addition of water to the epoxy ring. Preferably, Y represents NH2 and the glyceric acid used, corresponding to general formula (II) is produced by reacting acrylnitrile of general formula (III): R<1>R<2>C=CR<3>CN with hydrogen peroxide. |