Synthesize lactic acid from propene
Answers
Answer:
THE main source of lactic acid is lactic fermentation, a process to which solu-
tions of many carbohydrate substances are easily subjected by pure lactic
bacterial cultures [1].
A synthetic method was recently published for obtaining lactic acid [2].
The initial products for this method are acetaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide.
Synthesis takes place by the scheme:
CH3--CHO~-HCN --> CH3--CH--CN
I
OH
laetonitrile
saponification CHs--CH~CN --~ CH3--CH--COOH
I I OH OH
Results are given in this paper of studying the basically new method of
synthesizing lactic acid from propylene and N204. In connection with this
method only one patent application is known [3]. According to the data given
by the authors of the claim, the yield of lactic acid, however, is low and less
than 27.8%.
It was shown in papers [4, 5, 6] that in the reaction of isobutylene and some
other a-olefins with N204 in the absence of a solvent or in nitric acid medium,
a-hydroxy acids and their nitric esters are the main reaction products.
During the reaction of propylene with I~04 it was shown that, as in the
case of isobutylene [4], the molar ratio of 1~204 : C3He should be at least 4 : 1
since, at a lower ratio vigorous secondary reactions take place. A further in-
crease of N204 excess has no marked effect on the yield of a-nitrato-propionic
acid (V)t.
Experiments on elucidating the effect of temperature during the reaction of
propylene with !~04 were carried out at a constant ratio of C3H 6 : N204~ 1 : 6.
* Neftekbjmiya 6, No. 1, 115-122, 1966.
t The numbers of compotmds in the scheme are denoted by Roman numerals.