Patent ID: 8350080

Claim:
A process for preparing at least one acylglycinate salt of the formula (II) where R 1 is a saturated linear or branched alkyl radical having from 1 to 21 carbon atoms or a monounsaturated or polyunsaturated linear or branched alkenyl radical having from 2 to 21 carbon atoms and B is a cation, and/or the corresponding protonated acylglycine acid, wherein the process comprises the step of oxidizing at least one fatty acid monoethanolamide of the formula (I) where R 1 is as defined above, with oxygen in the presence of an optionally supported bimetal catalyst consisting of gold and a metal from group VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements in alkaline medium to form at least one acylglycinate salt of the formula (II) and, in the case of the preparation of the protonated acylglycine acid, additionally reacting the at least one acylglycinate salt of the formula (II) with an acid.