PRODUCTION OF ALPHA-AMINO ACID

PURPOSE:To advantageously obtain the subject compound useful as a food, feed, etc., intermediate, etc., for polymers without using a water-soluble acid or alkali and causing problems of post-treatment by bringing an alpha-amino acid amide as a raw material in the liquid phase into contact with water in the presence of zinc hydroxide and hydrolyzing the aforementioned compound. CONSTITUTION:An alpha-amino acid amide expressed by the formula (R1 and R2 each are same or different H, lower alkyl, cyclohexyl or phenyl) in the liquid phase is brought into contact with water in the presence of zinc hydroxide and hydrolyzed to afford the objective compound. The reaction is carried out at about 50-220 deg.C, preferably 100-200 deg.C. The water is used in an equiv. amount or more, preferably about >=10 times based on the alpha-amino acid amide. The molar amount of the zinc hydroxide is about 0.01-1.0 based on the alpha-amino acid amide. The produced objective compound is isolated by a method for removing undissolved substances from a solution after completing hydrolysis according to filtration, etc., then distilling away and removing ammonia and carrying out crystallization, etc.