The production of biodegradable plastics often involves the polymerization of monomers derived from renewable resources such as corn starch, sugarcane, or cellulose. A common example is polylactic acid (PLA), which is synthesized from lactic acid. The polymerization process typically employs catalysts to achieve efficient and controlled reactions. For instance, metal catalysts like tin octoate are frequently used in the ring-opening polymerization of lactide to produce PLA.
