CAS 50-21-5 Lactic acid - Analytical Products / Alfa Chemistry

CAT	APS50215
CAS	50-21-5
Structure
MDL Number	MFCD00004520
Synonyms	NSC 367919, Musashino lactate 50F, Lactic acid (7CI,8CI), Kiwilustre, Milk acid, (RS)-2-Hydroxypropanoic acid, Purac FCC 88,Propanoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, DL-Lactic acid, Purac FCC 80, 2-Hydroxy-2-methylacetic acid, (±)-Lactic acid, Purac HS 100, α-Hydroxypropionic acid, Chem-Cast, Biolac, Tonsillosan, 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid, dl-Lactic acid, E 270, HiPure 88, 2-Hydroxypropionic acid, α-Hydroxypropanoic acid, Purac HS 88, Lurex
IUPAC Name	2-hydroxypropanoic acid
Molecular Weight	90.08
Molecular Formula	C3H6O3
EC Number	200-018-0
Canonical SMILES	CC(O)C(=O)O
InChI	InChI=1S/C3H6O3/c1-2(4)3(5)6/h2,4H,1H3,(H,5,6)
InChI Key	JVTAAEKCZFNVCJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
REAXYS Number	1209341

Description	United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Reference Standard
Density	1.209 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.)
Accurate Mass	90.0317
BP	122 °C/15 mmHg (lit.)
Form	neat
Format	Neat
Linear Formula	CH3CH(OH)COOH
Refractive Index	n20/D 1.425 (lit.)
Shipping	Room Temperature
Size	3X1.5ML
Storage Conditions	+20°C
Subcategory	Nutritional composition compounds, EU Methods

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Case Study

Lactic Acid Used for the Preparation of Ultra-Low Stress Ni-P Alloy Coatings via Electrodeposition

Xu, Pengfei, et al. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects (2025): 137312.

Lactic acid plays a crucial role in the electrodeposition of high-performance Ni-P alloy coatings, offering precise control over internal stress and mechanical properties. In this study, varying concentrations of lactic acid (39.6-48.4 g L⁻¹) were explored to investigate its effect on the solvation behavior of Ni²⁺ ions and the deposition dynamics of Ni-P coatings on copper substrates under direct current (DC) conditions.
Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that lactic acid forms a stable coordination complex with Ni²⁺ through its carboxyl oxygen atom. This Ni²⁺-lactate solvation structure exhibited a high binding energy (-8.26 eV), which significantly surpasses that of Ni²⁺-H₂O and Ni²⁺-NH₂SO₃⁻ complexes. The resulting complex enhanced polarization at the cathode, slowed nucleation rates, and promoted progressive nucleation-ultimately improving coating uniformity and reducing internal stress.
Optimized at 44 g L⁻¹ lactic acid and a current density of 1.6 A dm⁻², the resulting Ni-P coating demonstrated ultra-low internal stress (+0.029 MPa), superior hardness (707 HV), high tensile strength (1537 MPa), and remarkable current efficiency (95.28 %). These findings confirm that lactic acid is indispensable for tailoring the electrochemical environment, enabling the synthesis of dense, low-stress Ni-P coatings suitable for ultra-precision manufacturing applications.

Lactic Acid Used for the Enhancement of Hexanoic Acid Production in Anaerobic Fermentation

Ji, Xiaofeng, et al. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering 12.6 (2024): 114518.

Lactic acid plays a pivotal role as an exogenous electron donor in anaerobic fermentation systems for medium-chain carboxylic acid synthesis. In this study, the impact of three types of lactic acid-pre-fermentation broth (PFB), lactic acid diluent (LAD), and pure chemical lactic acid (LA)-on hexanoic acid production from Chinese cabbage waste (CCW) was systematically investigated.
Among all treatments, supplementation with PFB yielded the highest hexanoic acid concentration at 6996.8 mg COD/L, significantly surpassing those from LAD (4534.8 mg COD/L) and LA (6777.1 mg COD/L). Notably, the electron efficiency of hexanoic acid synthesis in the PFB group increased by 188% compared to the LA-supplemented system. This enhancement is attributed to PFB's ability to shift the microbial community composition toward hydrolytic and chain-elongating species, thereby facilitating more efficient electron flow and substrate utilization.
Mechanistically, the added lactic acid was rapidly consumed, triggering chain elongation reactions where acetic and butyric acids acted as electron acceptors. Despite the initial decline in their concentrations, continuous PFB addition resulted in their gradual accumulation, indicating a dynamic balance between substrate consumption and regeneration.
This study underscores the functional versatility of lactic acid, particularly PFB, as a sustainable and effective additive to enhance hexanoic acid biosynthesis, offering valuable insights for bio-refinery strategies aiming at waste valorization through chain elongation fermentation.

Lactic Acid Used for the Preparation of Acrylic Acid via Catalytic Gas-Phase Dehydration

Yang, Jian, et al. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry 139 (2024): 554-561.

Lactic acid, a key bio-derived platform molecule, is gaining traction as a sustainable feedstock for acrylic acid synthesis. In this study, lactic acid was converted to acrylic acid through catalytic gas-phase dehydration using a modified Hβ zeolite catalyst. The catalyst underwent sequential nitric acid treatment and rubidium (Rb) ion-exchange, significantly enhancing performance and selectivity.
Nitric acid treatment increased Lewis acid site density while suppressing Brønsted acid sites, favoring dehydration pathways over undesirable decarboxylation and decarbonylation. Concurrently, Rb ion-exchange fine-tuned acid-base properties, reducing total acidity while introducing basicity beneficial for stability and yield.
Under optimized conditions-using a 0.1 mol/L HNO₃ treatment and 6.8 wt% Rb exchange-the catalyst (denoted as 0.1NA-6.8Rb/Hβ) achieved an impressive 99.28% lactic acid conversion and a 76.72% acrylic acid yield at reaction temperatures of 330-370 °C in a continuous fixed-bed reactor. The catalyst exhibited excellent recyclability, maintaining 87.35% conversion and 62.49% yield after two 48-hour cycles.
This study not only demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing lactic acid for renewable acrylic acid production, but also highlights an efficient catalytic strategy to improve selectivity and operational longevity. The process offers a green, scalable route toward reducing dependence on fossil-derived acrylic acid.