Abstract: What is proposed is a process for preparing aminopolycarboxylates proceeding from the corresponding polyalkanolamines by oxidative dehydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst comprising 1 to 90% by weight of copper, based on the total weight of the catalyst, using a base, which comprises first performing a partial conversion of the polyalkanolamine to a reaction mixture comprising the aminopolycarboxylate at a temperature in the range from 140 to 180° C. until at least 10 to 90 mol % of the polyalkanolamine has been depleted, and then continuing the conversion at elevated temperature.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing aminocarboxylates, proceeding from amines, by employing a reaction sequence composed of ethoxylation to amino alcohols and subsequent oxidative dehydrogenation to the corresponding aminocarboxylates, especially the alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts of the complexing agents MGDA (methylglycinediacetic acid), EDTA (ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid) and GLDA (glutamic acid diacetic acid) or the free acids thereof.