Biomass lactic acid synthesis

Lactic acid is a major end product from fermentation of a carbohydrate by lactic acid bacteria (Tormo and Izco, 2004). However, lactic acid can be produced commercially by either chemical synthesis or fermentation. The chemical synthesis results in a racemic mixture of the two isomers whereas during fermentation an optically pure form of lactic acid is produced. However, this may depend on the microorganisms, fermentation substrates, and fermentation conditions. Lactic acid can be produced from renewable materials by various species of the fungus Rhizopus. This has many advantages as opposed to bacterial production because of amylolytic characteristics, low nutrient requirements, and the fungal biomass, which is a valuable fermentation by-product (Zhan, Jin, and Kelly, 2007). 

One of the most important processes in the production of biochemicals is the 40,000 tons/yr lactic acid production involving the Lactobacillus oxidation of lactose. The MBR productivity increased eightfold compared to a conventional batch reactor with a 19-fold increased biomass concentration. Even a 30-fold increased production of ethanol was found upon coupling the Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation to a membrane separation. Other successful industrial applications involve the pathogen-free production of growth hormones, the synthesis of homochiral cyanohydrins, the production of 1-aspartic acid, phenyl-acetylcarbinol, vitamin B12, and the bio transformation of acrylonitrile to acrylamide. 

The next two sections of this review chapter will introduce the reader to the world of lactic acid. The acid is both a key platform chemical of the biorefinery concept, from which other interesting molecules may be formed (Sect. 2), and a monomer for commercial bioplastic polylactic acid (PLA) (Sect. 3). In the platform approach, the assessment from Chap. 1 in this volume [23] proves its value, as it is an equally useful tool to seek out the most desired routes for transforming a biomass-derived platform molecule as it is to select the most relevant carbohydrate-based chemicals from a chemist s point of view. In what follows, the desired catalytic cascade from cellulose to lactic acid will be described (Sect. 4) as well as the specific catalytic data reported for different feedstock (Sects. 5 and 6). Section 7 will introduce the reader to recent synthesis routes for other useful AHA compounds such as furyl and vinyl glycolic acid, as well as others shown in Fig. 1. Before concluding this chapter, Sect. 8 will provide a note on the stereochemistry of the chemically produced AHAs. 

The utilization of cellulose as the raw material for production of monomers and polymers is reviewed and discussed. As the most abundant nonfood biomass resource on Earth, cellulose can be catalytically depolymerized to glucose, while glucose is a versatile starting material for a large variety of platform chemicals including ethanol, lactic acid, HMF, levulinic acid, sorbitol, succinic acid, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, itaconic acid, glucaric acid, and so oti. These platforms can be used as monomers directly or further converted to polymerizable monomers for polymer synthesis. 

Lactic acid is currently produced by fermentation of carbohydrates and is rme of the high potential and versatile biomass-derived platform chemicals, leading to various useful polymer products. PLA is produced by ROP of lactide (derived from lactic acid) and exhibits mechanical properties similar to poly(ethylene terephthal-ate) and polypropylene. Representative examples discussed herein included the synthesis of highly stereo-controlled PLAs, such as isotactic, heterotactic, and syndiotactic PLA materials, rendered by different catalyst/initiator systems. 

Very recently, lactones have received increasing attention as potential renewable platform chemicals. Perhaps the most prominent bio-based hydroxy fatty acids lactic acid, whose cyclic ester of two lactate molecules serves precursor for the synthesis of bio-based polymers. Fermentative production of hydroxyl-carboxylic acids from agro-industrial waste is an alternative to the synthesis from dwindling fossil resources (Fiichtenbusch et al. 2000). The enzymatic machinery for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in bacteria offers catalytic pathways for the production of these lactone precursors (Efe et al. 2008). Recent examples include the microbial synthesis of y-butyrolactone and y-valerolactone. Particularly y-valerolactone is of importance and ranks among the top key components of the biomass-based economy. Microbial processes thus offer the perspective of a sustainable fermentative production of optically pure renewable lactones. 

Taking into account the above statements, the following section will discuss the catalytic performances of nanofluorides in some applications on biomass valorization such as the cellulose hydrolysis to glucose [145], cellulose valorization to lactic acid [146], and the valorization of glycerol (i.e., the by-product of biodiesel production) to synthesis of diacyl and triacyl glycerine [147], but also the dehydration of xylose and glucose to furan derivatives [148,149]. 

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