Patent ID: 7211693

Claim:
A method for making a compound having the formula: wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 are each independently H, straight or branched alkyl group, straight or branched alkenyl group, carboxyalkyl, carboxyaryl, aromatic group, aromatic-aliphatic group, alkyloxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, or oxacycloalkyl or wherein any two of R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 can form a ring containing 5 to 15 carbon atoms, and wherein any of R 1 , R 2 , or R 3 optionally contain one oxygen-functional group selected from hydroxyl, carbonyl or protected forms thereof, and wherein R 4 is a group having between 1 and 50 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of straight or branched alkyl groups, straight or branched alkenyl groups, cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl groups, alkyloxyalkyl groups, aromatic groups, aromatic-aliphatic groups, hydroxy-functional alkyl groups, and combinations thereof or a polymer chain comprising one or more ester or ether, or amide bonds, said method comprising: a) providing an epoxide of formula (3): and b) reacting the epoxide with a lactic acid ester of formula (3): where the epoxide and ester are in the form of separate molecules or part of the same molecule, thereby providing the compound of formula (2).