Methyl lactate, also known as lactic acid methyl

ester In chemistry, an ester is a compound derived from an oxoacid (organic or inorganic) in which at least one hydroxyl group () is replaced by an alkoxy group (), as in the substitution reaction of a carboxylic acid and an alcohol. Glycerides ar ...

, is the organic compound with the formula CH₃CH(OH)CO₂CH₃. It is the methyl ester of

lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula . It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as well as natu ...

. A colorless liquid, it is the simplest chiral ester. Being naturally derived, it is readily available as a single enantiomer.

Uses

It is a solvent for

nitrocellulose Nitrocellulose (also known as cellulose nitrate, flash paper, flash cotton, guncotton, pyroxylin and flash string, depending on form) is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to a mixture of nitric acid and ...

, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetobutyrate and cellulose acetopropionate. It is used in the manufacture of

lacquers Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity. Asian lacquerware, which may be ca ...

and dopes where it contributes high tolerance for diluents, good flaw and blush resistance."Industrial Solvents Handbook" by Ernest W. Flick. 5th Edition. William Andrew Inc., 1998. , The synthesis of

1,2-propanediol Propylene glycol (IUPAC name: propane-1,2-diol) is a viscous, colorless liquid, which is nearly odorless but possesses a faintly sweet taste. Its chemical formula is CH3CH(OH)CH2OH. Containing two alcohol groups, it is classed as a diol. It is ...

from methyl lactate has been commercialized using a

MACHO catalyst In homogeneous catalysis, MACHO catalysts are metal complexes containing MACHO ligands, which are of the type HN(CH2CH2PR2)2, where R is typically phenyl or isopropyl. Complexes with ruthenium(II) and iridium(III) have received much attention for ...

References

{{reflist Lactate esters Methyl esters Ester solvents

Uses

See also

References