Chemoselective alcoholysis of lactide mediated by a magnesium catalyst: an efficient route to alkyl lactyllactate

Abstract

Alkyl-(S,S)-O-lactyllactate was prepared by chemoselective alcoholysis of lactide LA mediated by a magnesium catalyst. When ROH reacted with LA it yielded the ring-opened product R-(S,S)-O-lactyllactate exclusively, which remained intact as long as LA was present in the reaction mixture. Consumption of LA caused the reaction to proceed further giving R-(S)-lactate.