In order to synthesize penaldic acid having various acyl radicals, potassium α-chloro-β, β-diethoxypropionate was aminated to dl-α-amino-β, β-diethoxypropionic acid, decompn. 193°. This was acylated with phenylacetic chloride to penaldic acid-G acetal, decompn. 108-110°, and with benzoyl chloride to dl-α-benzoylamino-β, β-diethoxypropionic acid, decompn. 94-95°. Saponification of penaldic acid-G acetal gave free penaldic acid which was so unstable that it immediately underwent decaroboxylation to penilloaldehyde-G, m.p. 111-113°.
An attempt was made to obtain α-formylglycine by the saponification of dl-α-amino-β, β-diethoxypropionic acid but the product did not crystallize.
