AbstractMethyl and ethyl lactates have been synthesised under pressure from acetaldehyde, carbon monoxide and methyl or ethyl alcohol with various supported nickel, cobalt and iron catalysts. Under the optimum conditions, in the presence of nickel iodide supported on silica gel (Ni:SiO2= 50:50), the maximum yields of methyl lactate and by‐product lactic acid were 20.7% and 15.2% respectively, whereas the maximum yields of ethyl lactate and lactic acid were 12.6% and 12.3% respectively (all on the input acetaldehyde basis