Lactic acid

An upstream feedstock converted into lactide for PLA.

Formula
C3H6O3
Functional group
Alcohol and carboxylic acid
Molar mass
90.08 g/mol
Also known as
2-hydroxypropanoic acid

Overview

2-Hydroxypropanoic acid

An upstream feedstock converted into lactide for PLA.

Industrial fermentation can turn plant-derived sugars into lactic acid. Its alcohol and acid groups enable ester formation. The selected trace continues through a lactide intermediate; stereochemistry is omitted from the generic structure.

Identifiers

Formula
C3H6O3
Functional group
Alcohol and carboxylic acid
Molar mass
90.08 g/mol
Also known as
2-hydroxypropanoic acid
Chemical identifiers
SMILES
CC(O)C(=O)O
InChI
InChI=1S/C3H6O3/c1-2(4)3(5)6/h2,4H,1H3,(H,5,6)
PubChem CID
612

Properties

Melting Point
16.8 °C
Boiling Point
122 °C at 15 mm Hg
Density
1.2060 g/cu cm at 21 °C
Water solubility
Miscible with water

Related compounds

References

  1. Ingeo technology: sugars, lactic acid, lactide and PLANatureWorks
  2. PubChem: Lactic acidNational Center for Biotechnology Information

    Identity retrieved 2026-09-08; matched against the record's isomeric structure. Unspecified stereochemistry remains unspecified.

  3. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Lactic acid — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/612#section=Melting-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Cambridge, UK: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2013., p. 990

  4. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Lactic acid — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/612#section=Boiling-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 95th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2014-2015, p. 3-336

  5. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Lactic acid — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/612#section=Density. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 95th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2014-2015, p. 3-336

  6. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Lactic acid — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/612#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Lewis, R.J. Sr.; Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary 15th Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, NY 2007., p. 736