Enhanced Acrylate Production from 2-Acetoxypropanoic Acid Esters

Reaction conditions and reactor geometry for producing acrylates in high yield from lactic acid-derived 2-acetoxypropanoic acid (APA) esters are presented. An acrylate ester yield of 75% is achieved from methyl and benzyl APA esters at 550 °C in a fixed bed reactor filled with nonporous silica particles, carbon dioxide as a diluent gas, and acetic acid as a co-feed with the APA ester. The yield from methyl and benzyl APA esters is remarkably higher than from ethyl or butyl esters of APA, which have hydrogen atoms on the β-carbon of the ester functional group and thus can undergo alkene elimination, leading to reduced acrylate yield. Under optimum conditions, APA conversion to acrylates is stable over 30 h of continuous operation with little carbon deposition on the contact material.