Abstract: The reaction of chloroform, aliphatic aldehydes (or ketones) and aqueous ammonia in the presence of triethylbenzyl ammonium chloride and lithium chloride under two-phase conditions was studied.Optimum reaction conditions were determined with cyclohexanone. Under these conditions straightchain aliphatic aldehydes also undergo the reaction. Nine aliphatic α-amino acids were prepared and the yields range from 21.4% to 52.4%.The isolation of by-product a-amino amide (2-amino-2-methyl-n-valer-amide) demonstrates that the reaction involves the formation of an intermediate epoxide followed by the opening of the epoxide ring by ammonia.