Efficient One-Step Synthesis of Lactide with High Yield and Selectivity Using Brønsted Acid Catalysis.

Abstract

In this work, a one-step method synthesis of lactide was reported instead of the traditional two-step method. The selection of a suitable acid catalyst polyphosphoric acid (PPA) and optimization of reaction conditions resulted in a yield of 97%. Moreover, this new one-step strategy eliminates the need for metal catalysts and does not require high-temperature conditions, thereby avoiding the issue of racemization. The simple one-step strategy offers a combination of efficiency, sustainability, and product quality improvements, making it a modern, practical approach to lactide synthesis.