2,2-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-one may be used in the synthesis of the followingN,N-disubstituted amides of glycolic acid:N,N-diethyl-2-hydroxyacetamideN,N-di(n-butyl)-2-hydroxyacetamideN,N-di(n-hexyl)-2-hydroxyacetamide4-hydroxyacetylpiperidine4-hydroxyacetylmorpholineN-ethyl-N-phenyl-2-hydroxyacetamide