A process for making a complexing agent with an enantiomeric excess of at least 60%, wherein said process comprises the following steps: (a) reacting an aqueous slurry of alanine with an enantiomeric excess of at least 60% with formaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid, thereby forming an aqueous solution of alanine-bisacetonitrile, (b) saponifying the alanine-bisacetonitrile from step (a) by combining the aqueous solution obtained in step (a) with an aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide.

A process for making a complexing agent with an enantiomeric excess of at least 60%, wherein said process comprises the following steps: (a) reacting an aqueous slurry of alanine with an enantiomeric excess of at least 60% with formaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid, thereby forming an aqueous solution of alanine-bisacetonitrile, (b) saponifying the alanine-bisacetonitrile from step (a) by combining the aqueous solution obtained in step (a) with an aqueous solution of alkali metal hydroxide.

The present invention discloses a polyvalent metal ion compound salt of N,N-dimethylglycine and organic acid or a solvate thereof, and use thereof in preparing novel feed additives and feed; the present invention also discloses a composition comprising the polyvalent metal ion compound salt of N,N-dimethylglycine and organic acid or the solvate thereof. The polyvalent metal ion compound salt of N,N-dimethylglycine and organic acid or the solvate thereof provided by the present invention has improvement effect on animal product performance such as improving animal weight gain and reducing feed conversion ratio, showing effects similar to or higher than that of sodium N,N-dimethylglycinate.

The invention relates to a salt of glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA) of the formula GLDA-Y.sub.mH.sub.n, wherein m is equal to or more than 0.5 and lower than or equal to 2.5, n+m=4, and wherein Y is a monovalent cation that is not a proton, comprising L-GLDA-Y.sub.mH.sub.n to D-GLDA-Y.sub.mH.sub.n in a range between 100:0 and 50:50 (L:D), characterized in that the salt is crystalline, a process to make such crystalline salt, and to uses of such salt, such as, in particular, in detergent compositions.

The invention relates to a salt of glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA) of the formula GLDA-Y.sub.mH.sub.n, wherein m is equal to or more than 0.5 and lower than or equal to 2.5, n+m=4, and wherein Y is a monovalent cation that is not a proton, comprising L-GLDA-Y.sub.mH.sub.n to D-GLDA-Y.sub.mH.sub.n in a range between 100:0 and 50:50 (L:D), characterized in that the salt is crystalline, a process to make such crystalline salt, and to uses of such salt, such as, in particular, in detergent compositions.

Pulverulent compositions of a complex between an acid and a metal form an at least partially spherical particle. The acid is selected from 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-thiobutanoic acid (HMTBA), methionine, aspartic acid, the alginic acids, the pectinic acids, and the corresponding anions, in particular 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-thiobutanoate, methioninate, aspartate, the alginates and the pectinates. The metal is divalent or trivalent. The particle has an amorphous fraction the mass of which represents at least 50% of the total mass of the particle. The particle is substantially devoid of uncomplexed acid or anion and of uncomplexed metal or metal cation.

Pulverulent compositions of a complex between an acid and a metal form an at least partially spherical particle. The acid is selected from 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-thiobutanoic acid (HMTBA), methionine, aspartic acid, the alginic acids, the pectinic acids, and the corresponding anions, in particular 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-thiobutanoate, methioninate, aspartate, the alginates and the pectinates. The metal is divalent or trivalent. The particle has an amorphous fraction the mass of which represents at least 50% of the total mass of the particle. The particle is substantially devoid of uncomplexed acid or anion and of uncomplexed metal or metal cation.

Pulverulent compositions of a complex between an acid and a metal form an at least partially spherical particle. The acid is selected from 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-thiobutanoic acid (HMTBA), methionine, aspartic acid, the alginic acids, the pectinic acids, and the corresponding anions, in particular 2-hydroxy-4-methyl-thiobutanoate, methioninate, aspartate, the alginates and the pectinates. The metal is divalent or trivalent. The particle has an amorphous fraction the mass of which represents at least 50% of the total mass of the particle. The particle is substantially devoid of uncomplexed acid or anion and of uncomplexed metal or metal cation.

The invention pertains to the use of a supplement for making metals (nutritionally) available to animals, said supplement comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of glutamic acid N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA), a metal complex of GLDA, a sodium salt of GLDA, a potassium salt of GLDA, methylglycine-N,N-diacetic acid (MGDA), a metal complex of MGDA, a sodium salt of MGDA, a potassium salt of MGDA, ethylenediamine N,N′-disuccinic acid (EDDS), a metal complex of EDDS, a sodium salt of EDDS, a potassium salt of EDDS, iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), a metal complex of IDS, a sodium salt of IDS, and a potassium salt of IDS.

The invention pertains to the use of a supplement for making metals (nutritionally) available to animals, said supplement comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of glutamic acid N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA), a metal complex of GLDA, a sodium salt of GLDA, a potassium salt of GLDA, methylglycine-N,N-diacetic acid (MGDA), a metal complex of MGDA, a sodium salt of MGDA, a potassium salt of MGDA, ethylenediamine N,N′-disuccinic acid (EDDS), a metal complex of EDDS, a sodium salt of EDDS, a potassium salt of EDDS, iminodisuccinic acid (IDS), a metal complex of IDS, a sodium salt of IDS, and a potassium salt of IDS.