Question

How will you prepare lactic acid from ethanol?

Answer 1

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\ce{\underset{(Ethanol)}{CH3 - CH2 - OH} ->[(O)] CH3CHO ->[HCN] CH3 - CH - CN ->[H2O][H^+] CH3 - CH - COOH}\\
\phantom{...................................}|\phantom{......................}|\phantom{.}\\
\phantom{.......................................}\ce{OH}\phantom{................}\ce{\underset{(Lactic acid)}{OH}}\phantom{}
\end{array}\]