Single Step Lactide Production Process with Separate Entry for Solvent

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for synthesizing lactide, comprising the steps of: adding thermal energy to at least one solvent; providing one or more components to at least one reactor, the one or more components comprising lactic acid and the at least one solvent; converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water; and recovering at least part of the lactide; wherein the step of adding thermal energy to the at least one solvent is performed prior to the step of adding the at least one solvent to the at least one reactor; wherein the at least one solvent is provided in the at least one reactor independently from the lactic acid by a separate entry into the at least one reactor; and, wherein the step of converting at least part of the lactic acid into lactide and water is performed in one step.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.