MALIC ACID DERIVATIVE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for producing malic acid amide derivative that is useful as a detergent material of high purity in high yield and a synthetic intermediate. SOLUTION: An O-acetyl malic acid derivative represented by general formula (1): (wherein R is an 8-22C straight chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl, or hydroxyalkyl group; A is H, or a 1-6C straight chain or branched alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium or an organic amine) is obtained as an intermediate, and the intermediate is hydrolyzed to obtain the objective malic acid amide derivative represented by general formula (5): (wherein R, A and M are the same as those described above).