Formation of lactic acid from glycolaldehyde by alkaline hydrothermal reaction

Alkali hydrothermal experiments with glycolaldehyde were carried out at 300 °C. Glycolaldehyde was converted into lactic acid in a yield of 28% based on the starting carbon mass of glycolaldehyde. A conversion pathway for glycolaldehyde into lactic acid is proposed and our results suggest that the pathway via glycolaldehyde is also important in the conversion of glucose into lactic acid.