IMPROVED ACRYLIC ACID AND ACRYLATE ESTER FROM LACTIDE PROCESS

Technical grade acrylic acid derived from renewable resources utilizing a base catalyst system by a process including reacting lactide (or lactic acid oligomers) with methyl acetate to form mist methyl 2-acetoxypropionate in the presence of a base catalyst such as sodium methoxide, pyrolyzing the methyl 2-acetoxypropionate, with or without a catalyst, to methyl acrylate and acetic acid, transesterifying the mixture to acrylic acid and methyl acetate, separating and purifying the acrylic acid by distillation late in the presence of polymerization inhibitor(s). The disclosed process will produce a "green" (i.e. renewable resources derived) acrylic acid and/or methyl acrylate ester.