PRODUCTION OF ALPHA-HYDROXYCARBOXYLIC ESTER

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for producing an α-hydroxycarboxylic ester from an α-hydroxycarboxylic acid amide and an alcohol in high selectivity and yield. SOLUTION: An α-hydroxycarboxylic acid amide is reacted with an alcohol in the presence of a metal triflate catalyst in a liquid phase. The metals composing the metal trifluoromethanesulfonate comprise one or more elements selected from lanthanide elements, and the α-hydroxycarboxylic acid amide is lactamide or α-hydroxyisobutylic acid amide.