Identification of Intermediates and Products of 2,4,6-Trimethyl-1,3,5-Hexahydrotriazine Trihydrate and Glyoxal Reaction in an Aqueous Solution by NMR Spectroscopy

In situ formation of 2-methylimidazole as a result of 2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3,5-hexahydrotriazine trihydrate and glyoxal interaction in an aqueous solution is studied for the first time using NMR spectroscopy. In addition to the reactants and products, the reaction mixture is shown to contain stable intermediate products of the trimer decomposition as well as glycolic acid.