The 5'-deoxypyridoxal stabilized glycine carbanion has been generated in water at neutral and mildly basic pH. At pH < 7, this carbanion reacts mainly with the carbonyl carbon of 1 to form a stable Claisen-type adduct. At pH > or = 8, this carbanion reacts with the iminium carbon of the pyridoxal-glycine iminium ion to form the second Claisen-type adduct 3 as the major reaction product.