N-Hydroxymethyl-nicotinamide, an antimicrobic agent was prepared in good yield by treating nicotinamide with excess of formaldehyde in the presence of potassium carbonate. The condensation reaction was studied under different conditions, changing the amount of formaldehyde, with different kinds of bases and reaction time. The yield was 72.4% when the reaction was carried out using 3.0 g of nicotinamide, 5.0 ml of formaldehyde (36.8% aq. solution) and 0.03 g of potassium carbonate in boiling water bath for one hour. More than 5.0 ml of formaldehyde did not contribute to higher yield. The results showed that potassium carbonate was better than other bases, and one hour of reaction time was enough.
