Lactic Acid → beta-sitosterol Lactate

Participants

Reaction Steps

200 g β-sitosterol, 250 g lactic acid, and 500 ml toluene were dissolved in a 5 l flask. The mixture was refluxed at 110-115° C. at the same time as water (free water+reaction water) was collected using water separation apparatus, in order to monitor the progress of the reaction. Reaction time was 11.5 h. At this point, 68 ml of water had been collected (free water: 33.8 ml+reaction water 34.2 ml), representing a 77.5% conversion in relation to the starting material. The toluene was evaporated from the reaction mixture using a rotavapor, and the product was dried in a vacuum oven at 40-60° C. The esterification experiment was repeated 5 times.

Provenance & Evidence