To a solution of 3-hydroxypyridine (200 g, 2.10 mol) in water (500 mL) was sequentially added 50% aqueous dimethylamine (228 g) and 36% aqueous formaldehyde (210 g), and the reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature, then heated up to 50 °C and kept for 4 hours. Upon completion of the reaction, the solvent was removed by distillation under reduced pressure and the precipitated crystals were collected by filtration to afford the target product 2-(dimethylaminomethyl)-3-hydroxypyridine (207 g, 65% yield). The structure of the product was confirmed by 1H-NMR (CDCl3): δ 2.38 (6H, s), 3.86 (2H, s), 7.01-7.18 (2H, m), 8.00 (1H, t, J = 3.2 Hz), and a hidden proton signal.
