Abstract: 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 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Technical grade acrylic acid derived from renewable resources utilizing a homogeneous nickel catalyst system by a process including reacting lactide with acetic acid to form 2-acetoxypropionic acid in the presence of a homogeneous nickel catalyst, pyrolyzing, with or without a catalyst, the 2-acetoxypropionic acid to acrylic acid and acetic acid, condensing and collecting the pyrolysis products in the presence of polymerization inhibitor(s) and purifying the acrylic acid by distillation in the presence of polymerization inhibitor(s). Acrylic acid and methyl acrylate are produced from methyl 2-acetoxypropionate which comes from fermentation derived lactic acid. The disclosed process will produce a “green” (i.e. renewable resources derived) acrylic acid and methyl acrylate ester.