A new and direct synthesis of lactic acid from acrylic acid using an excimer laser with high intensity

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/cl.1996.935

A new and direct method of XeF (351 nm) laser irradiation of acrylic acid 1 solution containing H₂O₂ are described for the chemical synthesis of lactic acid 2. Increase in the yield strongly depended on the irradiation dose and H₂O₂ feeding rate, and the formation of 2 showed the quantum yield, 0.3, and the selectivity, 50%, at the maximum yield. Product analysis indicated that OH radicals formed with high density by the laser-photolysis of H₂O₂ are equally bonded to the carbons of α- and β-positions of 1 to produce 2 and 3-hydroxypropanoic acid with ratio of 1 to 1.