Catalytic Cracking of Lactide and Poly(Lactic Acid) to Acrylic Acid at Low Temperatures.

Despite being a simple dehydration reaction, the industrially relevant conversion of lactic acid to acrylic acid is particularly challenging. For the first time, the catalytic cracking of lactide and poly(lactic acid) to acrylic acid under mild conditions is reported with up to 58 % yield. This transformation is catalyzed by strong acids in the presence of bromide or chloride salts and proceeds through simple SN 2 and elimination reactions.