Design a stoichiometrically balanced reaction for the synthesis of a renewable and biodegradable plastic polymer from a biomass-derived starting material.
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The synthesis of a renewable and biodegradable plastic polymer from a biomass-derived starting material can be achieved through the conversion of a sugar molecule such as glucose to a polylactic acid (PLA) polymer. Here's a stoichiometrically balanced reaction for this process:
C6H12O6 (glucose) -> C6H10O5 (lactic acid) + CO2
The balanced reaction shows the conversion of glucose into lactic acid, which is the monomer required for the synthesis of PLA. CO2 is also produced as a byproduct.
The subsequent step involves the polymerization of lactic acid molecules to form PLA polymer chains. This polymerization process is catalyzed by a compound such as tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate.
(n) C6H10O5 (lactic acid) -> (C6H9O4)n (polylactic acid) + nCO2
In this reaction, "n" represents the number of lactic acid molecules that react to form one molecule of polylactic acid. Multiple lactic acid units combine together, with the release of CO2 for each monomer added.
This stoichiometrically balanced reaction highlights the synthesis of PLA polymer, which is a renewable and biodegradable plastic, from a biomass-derived starting material like glucose.
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