Synthesis of Menthol Glycinates and Their Potential as Cooling Agents.

A convenient method of synthesis has been developed for a new class of potential cooling agents, menthol glycinates. These compounds are prepared in two synthetic steps, starting from bromoacetyl bromide and (-)-menthol. The resulting brominated menthol ester readily undergoes substitution reactions with NH and 1° or 2° amines to provide menthol glycinates.