Thermal synthesis and hydrolysis of polyglyceric acid
Abstract
Polyglyceric acid was synthesized by thermal condensation of glyceric acid at 80° in the presence and absence of two mole percent of sulfuric acid catalyst. The acid catalyst accelerated the polymerization over 100-fold and made possible the synthesis of insoluble polymers of both L- and DL-glyceric acid by heating for less than 1 day. Racemization of L-glyceric acid yielded less than 1% D-glyceric acid in condensations carried out at 80°C with catalyst for 1 day and without catalyst for 12 days. The condensation of L-glyceric acid yielded an insoluble polymer much more readily than condensation of DL-glyceric acid. Studies of the hydrolysis of poly-DL-glyceric acid revealed that it was considerably more stable under mild acidic conditions compared to neutral pH. The relationship of this study to the origin of life is discussed.
- Publication:
-
Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere
- Pub Date:
- January 1989
- DOI:
- 10.1007/BF01808284
- Bibcode:
- 1989OLEB...19....7W