1-Dodecanol → Lactic Acid

Reaction equation

[C:1]([O-:6])(=[O:5])[CH:2]([CH3:4])[OH:3].[NH4+].CCCCCCCC[N:16](CCCCCCCC)CCCCCCCC.C(O)CCCCCCCCCCC>>[C:1]([O-:6])(=[O:5])[CH:2]([CH3:4])[OH:3].[NH4+:16].[C:1]([OH:6])(=[O:5])[CH:2]([CH3:4])[OH:3]

Participants

Reactant 3

HCID 81931-Dodecanol

HCID 14227Trioctylamine

HCID 62358Ammonium Lactate

Product 2

HCID 612Lactic Acid

HCID 62358Ammonium Lactate

Conditions

Temperature: 160 °C

Procedure

The procedure described in Example 1 was followed except that the reaction solution consisted of 10 g of a 70% solution of ammonium lactate, 45 g tricaprylamine, and 5 g dodecanol. The reaction mixture was heated for 2 hours at 160° C. and atmospheric pressure, resulting in a conversion of about 98% from ammonium lactate to lactic acid. Some of the dodecanol also reacted with lactic acid to form an ester. The conversion from ammonium lactate to lactic acid plus lactic acid ester was about 99%.