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The lactide

Lactide, cyclic di-ester of lactic acid, is the monomer used to synthesise PLA (polylactic acid) by ring opening polymerisation (ROP).

Lactide is a natural and renewable compound produced from lactic acid (2-hydroxypropanoic acid) produced by fermentation of sucrose or glucose. Lactide fits perfectly within the framework of development of green chemistry.

Lactide, as a product of lactic acid, which has two stereoisomeric forms (L(+)lactic acid and D(-)lactic acid), exists in three stereoisomeric forms: L-lactide, D-lactide and Meso-lactide.

Lactide is obtained in two synthesis steps: oligomerisation of lactic acid followed by cyclisation. L-lactide is produced if the original acid is L-lactic acid and D-lactide is produced if the original acid is D-lactic acid. An efficient purification step is necessary to obtain the right level of purity for the polymerisation of lactide into PLA.

Lactide, a high purity monomer, is the raw material used in the synthesis of polylactic acid (PLA), a renewable polymer that has the particularity of being compostable.

The technology used by Futerro enables the synthesis, without solvent, of lactides of great enantiomeric purity. On the other hand, through Galactic, Futerro has access to L-lactic acid and D-lactic acid. Futerro therefore has both D-lactide and L-lactide, traditionally used as a PLA precursor. The availability of these two monomers enables Futerro to offer a large range of PLAs, including PLLA, PDLA, copolymer of L and D lactide and stereocomplexes of PLA.

However, lactide can also be of great interest in other applications, such as:

Food:
• Delayed and progressive acidification during aqueous dissolution
• Preventive agent against thermal decomposition of bisphenol
• Coagulation agent for tofu, soy beans and diary products
• Food additive for the conservation of milk and meat-based products
• Swelling agent for bakery products
• Agent in the production of baking powder
• pH regulator
• Bacteriostat in the emulsion of meat

Industry:
• Reagent for chemical reactions without water molecule production (amidation, transesterification, ring opening polymerisation etc)
• Destabilising agent in the production of porous ceramics
• Anti-yellowing agent for textiles
• Combustion improvement agent for coal and oil
• Electrolyte in lithium batteries