[2] It is not identical to, but derived from glycine, the proteinogenic amino acid.

It is typically characterized as thin plates of white or silvery powder, although aged samples appear brown.

Glycin is rarely used as a developing agent, primarily because it is expensive.

In its dry form, it also has limited shelf life compared to metol and phenidone.

Glycin can be synthesized by treating p-aminophenol with chloracetic acid in a solvent.