Patents

The dehydrated alkali metal salts of carboxylic acid are dissolved in the alcohol, such as methanol or ethanol, or butanol, to make their solution in corresponding alcohol. The solution alcohol is further treated with carbon dioxide under pressure or at atmospheric pressure at elevated temperature. The carboxylic acid gets converted into corresponding alkyl ester and calcium carbonate of sodium carbonate or potassium carbonate as the by-product. Calcium lactate or sodium lactate or sodium acetate or sodium benzoate, or sodium salicylate as alkali metal salt solution prepared in methanol or ethanol, or butanol when treated with carbon dioxide under pressure or at atmospheric pressure at elevated temperature gets converted to methyl lactate or ethyl lactate or methyl acetate or methyl benzoate or methyl salicylate as the product.