Process for preparing glyphosate and glyphosate derivatives

Claim 1

A process for preparing a compound of the formula ##STR8## wherein R can be hydrogen and R, R 1 , and R 2 are independently selected from the group consisting of --OH; --SH; --NR 4 R 5 wherein R 4 and R 5 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, and hydroxyalkyl having 1 through 4 carbon atoms, alkenyl having 2 through 4 carbon atoms, and R 4 and R 5 together with the nitrogen atoms can form a heterocyclic ring; --OR 6 and SR 6 wherein R 6 is selected from the group consisting of monovalent hydrocarbon groups, monovalent hydrocarbonoxyhydrocarbon groups each containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, halogenated monovalent hydrocarbon groups, halogenated monovalent hydrocarbonoxyhydrocarbon groups each containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms and from 1 to 3 halogens, and groups having the formula ##STR9## wherein n is from 1 to 4, and R 4 and R 5 are as defined above; --OR 7 wherein R 7 is a herbicidally acceptable salt-forming cation; and R 3 is hydrogen or alkyl, the process comprising: condensing a precursor primary or secondary amine corresponding to the formula ##STR10## where R and R 3 are as defined above, in an aqueous reaction medium, with carbonyl compound, or hydrate or acetal thereof, said carbonyl compound corresponding to the Formula (III) or (IV) ##STR11## wherein R 1 and R 2 are as defined above, R 12 and R 13 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, hydroxyalkyl having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, alkenyl and alkyl having 2 to 4 carbon atoms joined through the oxygen atoms to form a cyclic acetal, aryl, substituted aryl, or heterocyclic moieties; and reducing the condensation product without isolation to produce a compound of Formula (I).