Systematic Method of L-Propylene glycol

L-Propylene glycol (CAS NO.:57-55-6), with other names like 1,2-Propanediol, l-, could be produced through the following synthetic methods.

A solution of 1 kg. of sucrose in 9 l. of water is placed in a 20-l. bottle provided with a gas trap. A paste of baker's yeast is made by breaking up 1 kg. of yeast and gradually stirring in 1 l. of water. This is then added to the sugar solution and the mixture is allowed to stand at room temperature until a lively evolution of gas starts (from one to three hours). To the vigorously fermenting solution 100 g. (1.35 moles) of freshly prepared acetol (p. 5) is added, and the mixture is allowed to stand at room temperature until the reaction subsides. The bottle is then transferred to an incubator at 32°, when the fermentation recommences. At the end of three days the reaction is generally completed, and the solution when tested with Fehling's reagent gives a negligible test for reducing sugars.

At this point 20–30 g. of short glass fiber or asbestos is added and the yeast is filtered by suction. The filtrate is concentrated to a thick syrup under diminished pressure on a water bath, the temperature being kept below 40°. The residue (about 200 cc.) is taken up in a mixture of 400 cc. of absolute alcohol and 100 cc. of dry ether. The precipitate formed is removed by centrifuging, the supernatant liquid is decanted, and the residue is extracted with a mixture of 200 cc. of 98.5 per cent alcohol and 100 cc. of dry ether. The combined alcohol-ether solutions are concentrated under diminished pressure at 35–40° to a thick syrup. The residue is again taken up in a mixture of 400 cc. of 98.5 per cent alcohol and 100 cc. of dry ether and centrifuged. The supernatant liquid is concentrated under diminished pressure and distilled from a modified Claisen flask. The yield of the crude product boiling at 86–91°/12 mm. is approximately 100 g. The crude material is refractionated and collected at 88–90°/12 mm. or 187–189°/760 mm. The final product is a colorless liquid having a density 1.04 and specific rotation [α]20D= -15.0°. The yield is 50–60 g. (49–58 per cent of the theoretical amount).