Patent ID: 8501988

Claim:
A method of synthesizing carboxylated amines, comprising: (a) reacting a mixture of potassium salt of a primary or secondary amine having at least one amino-functional group and a potassium salt of a halogenated carboxylic acid selected from the group of brominated carboxylic acid, chlorinated carboxylic acid, or iodinated carboxylic acid, in the presence of potassium hydroxide; (b) precipitating the halogenated potassium salt and discarding the precipitate; (c) isolating the carboxylated amine present in the liquid phase; (d) adding formic acid to the liquid phase to achieve a pH of about 3 to 4 and adding alcohol to the liquid phase to form a biphasic liquid having a lower phase containing an aminocarboxylic acid and an upper phase containing potassium formate; and (e) separating the lower liquid phase containing the aminocarboxylic acid from the upper liquid phase containing the potassium formate, wherein the aminocarboxylic acid is free of nitrilotriacetic acid and substantially free of contaminating salt byproducts and further wherein the method of synthesizing is accomplished in the absence of hydrochloric acid.