a process for synthesizing 4 - amino - 2 , 4 - dioxobutanoate involves reacting a dialkyl oxalate with an alkoxide in ethanol to form a reaction mixture , and afterward adding an alkyl cyano acetate to the reaction mixture and allowing a reaction to proceed under conditions suitable to form a first reaction product of the formula diethyl 2 - cyano - 3 - hydroxy - butenedioate , and then isolating the diethyl 2 - cyano - 3 - hydroxy - butenedioate , and afterward reacting the diethyl - 2 - cyano - 3 - hydroxy - butenedioate with an aqueous hydroxide under conditions suitable to form 4 - amino - 2 , 4 - dioxobutanoate . the 4 - amino - 2 , 4 - dioxobutanoate may be acidified into 4 - amino - 2 , 4 - dioxobutanoic acid .