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The synthesis you described likely involves the following steps:
1. Formation of Potassium Maleate: Adding water and potassium carbonate (K2CO3) to maleic anhydride would result in the formation of potassium maleate. The reaction is an acid-base reaction where the maleic anhydride acts as an acid and the carbonate as a base.
2. Ammonolysis and Formation of Iminodisuccinic Acid: The ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3) reacts with the potassium maleate to form iminodisuccinic acid. This step is an ammonolysis reaction where ammonia (NH3) from the bicarbonate reacts with the maleate to create the imino (-NH-) bridge.
3. Cyclization: Heating the reaction mixture at 110°C promotes cyclization of iminodisuccinic acid to form the final product, tetrapotassium iminodisuccinate. The elevated temperature facilitates ring closure.
This is a plausible synthesis route for tetrapotassium iminodisuccinate. You may find it helpful to consult chemistry literature for further confirmation and detailed experimental procedures.