lactide
Sign in to saveLactide is the lactone cyclic ester derived by multiple esterification between two (usually) or more molecules from lactic acid (2-hydroxypropionic acid) or other hydroxy carboxylic acid. They are designated as dilactides, trilactides, etc., according to the number of hydroxy acid residues. All lactides are colorless or white solids. The dilactide derived from lactic acid has the formula . This lactide has attracted interest because it is derived from abundant renewable resources and is the precursor to a biodegradable plastic.
Article
3 sectionsContents
- Stereoisomers
- Polymerization
- References
Lactide is the lactone cyclic ester derived by multiple esterification between two (usually) or more molecules from lactic acid (2-hydroxypropionic acid) or other hydroxy carboxylic acid. They are designated as dilactides, trilactides, etc., according to the number of hydroxy acid residues. All lactides are colorless or white solids. The dilactide derived from lactic acid has the formula . This lactide has attracted interest because it is derived from abundant renewable resources and is the precursor to a biodegradable plastic.
==Stereoisomers== The dilactide derived from lactic acid can exist in three different stereoisomeric forms. This complexity arises because lactic acid is chiral. These enantiomers do not racemize readily.