When heated with zinc chloride, lactides forms a linear polymer which may be

Options

A. Polystyrene
B. polyamide
C. Polyester
D. Polythene

Answer

To solve the question regarding the formation of a linear polymer from lactides when heated with zinc chloride, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Lactides**:
- Lactides are cyclic esters derived from lactic acid. They can undergo polymerization to form linear polymers.

2. **Heating with Zinc Chloride**:
- When lactides are heated in the presence of zinc chloride, a catalyst, they undergo a process called ring-opening polymerization. This process allows the cyclic lactides to open up and link together to form a long chain.

3. **Formation of Polylactic Acid**:
- The polymer formed from the polymerization of lactides is known as polylactic acid (PLA). This is a type of polyester, as it is formed from the condensation reaction of lactic acid monomers.

4. **Identifying the Type of Polymer**:
- Among the options provided (polystyrene, polyamide, polyester, polyethylene), the correct answer is **polyester**. This is because polylactic acid is classified as a thermoplastic polyester.

5. **Chemical Formula**:
- The general formula for polylactic acid can be represented as (C3H4O2)n, where 'n' indicates the number of repeating units in the polymer chain.

### Final Answer:
When heated with zinc chloride, lactides form a linear polymer which may be **polyester** (specifically polylactic acid).

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