. Can. J. Chem. 64,449 (1986). Two synthetic approaches for the synthesis of N,N'-di(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (HBED) and derivatives are reported. The first involves conversion of N,N1-di(2-hydroxybenzy1)ethylenediamine to the diamide HBEDDA via reaction with formaldehyde and HCN followed by hydrolysis. Analysis of the species distribution curves of the Cu(I1) chelates of N,N'-di(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid (HBED) and its diamide, HBEDDA, and of the nature of the coordination in each complex species formed, suggest the selection of the reaction conditions most favorable for the Cu(I1)-catalyzed hydrolysis of HBEDDA to HBED. The rate of conversion was found to be low, and the reasons for these findings are described. Iron(II1) catalysis of the conversion of HBEDDA to HBED was found to be rapid and complete with a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 3.1 X s-' at 25.0°C. The results provide the final step of a new method for the synthesis of HBED. The second synthetic approach involves reaction of N,N1-ethylenediamine-diacetic acid (EDDA) with substituted phenols and formaldehyde. These approaches appear to be general for the synthesis of HBED and derivatives. Une analyse des courbes de distribution des especes qui se foment lors de la chelation du Cu(I1) avec l'acide HBED et son diamide HBEDDA ainsi que celle de la nature de la coordination dans chaque espece complexe qui se forme permet de dCterminer les conditions de reaction qui sont les plus favorables pour l'hydrolyse, catalysCe par le Cu(II), du HBEDDA en HBED. On a trouvC que la vitesse de conversion est faible et on dCcrit les causes de ce resultat. On a trouvC que la transformation, catalysCe par le Fe(III), du HBEDDA en HBED est rapide et que la constante de vitesse de pseudo premier ordre est Cgale A 3,l X