Patent ID: 6878829

Claim:
A method for preparing an β-alaninamide of formula: wherein (i) R 1 is hydrogen or C 1-6 alkyl which is unsubstituted or is substituted with hydroxy, amino, carboxy, carbamoyl, methylmercapto, guanidino or with unsubstituted or substituted aryl or heteroaryl, and R 2 is hydrogen, or (ii) R 1 and R 2 together form a group of the formula —(CH 2 ) n — where n is 3 or 4, and R 3 is hydrogen, a negative charge compensated by an equivalent of an inorganic or organic cation, or C 1-6 alkyl, or a corresponding salt of said β-alaninamide of formula (I), comprising, in a first stage, reacting an amino acid or an amino acid ester of formula: wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 have the above mentioned meanings, or the corresponding salt thereof with a cyanoacetic ester of formula: wherein R 4 is C 1-10 alkyl, to give a cyanoacetamide of formula: wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 have the abovementioned meanings, or the corresponding salt thereof, and, in a second stage, converting the cyanoacetamide of formula (II), or the corresponding salt thereof, into the β-alaninamide of formula (I), or the corresponding salt thereof, by catalytic hydrogenation.