The condensation of p-anisaldehyde (I) with NaCN and NH4Cl in methanol - water, followed by an acid treatment and a steam distillation gives D,L-2-(p-methoxyphenyl)glycine (II), which is then demethylated by treatment with refluxing aqueous 48% HBr to D,L-2-(p-hydroxyphenyl)glycine (III) (1). The esterification of (III) by means of H2SO4 in refluxing ethanol gives the corresponding racemic ethyl ester (IV), which is treated with (+)-tartaric acid (V) in acetone - methanol, heated at 49 C, seeded with the apropriate L-hemitartrate and allowed to cool yielding the L-hemitartrate of 2-(p-hydroxyphenyl)glycine ethyl ester (VI). The partial hydrolysis of (VI) with NaOH in water yields ethyl L-2-(p-hydroxyphenyl)glycinate (L)-(IV), which is finally hydrolyzed with NaOH (2).