Process for preparing aminopolycarboxylates proceeding from amino acids

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for preparing aminopolycarboxylates proceeding from an amino acid which, in a first process step is reacted with ethylene oxide to give an intermediate mixture comprising the corresponding dialkanolamine, and then the intermediate mixture, in a second process step is converted catalytically using a base to the corresponding aminopolycarboxylate, wherein the amino acid, before the reaction with ethylene oxide in the first process step, is supplied to a partial neutralization with 0.70 to 0.99 equivalent of base per acid group, or, in the first process step, an amino acid which has already been partly neutralized with 0.70 to 0.99 equivalent of base per acid group is used.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.