Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) was synthesized by microwave-assisted ring-opening poly- merization of D, L-lactide with stannous octanoate (SnOct2) as catalyst. Its weight-average molar mass (Mw) ranged from 39000 to 67000 and the polydispersity index from 1.3 to 1.7. The polymerization rate was much faster than that of the conventional thermal polymerization. A degradation of newly formed PLA in reaction mixture by microwave irradiation was observed. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) was synthesized by microwave-assisted ring-opening poly- merization of D, L-lactide with stannous octanoate (SnOct2) as catalyst. Its weight- average molar mass (Mw) ranged from 39000 to 67000 and the polydispersity index from 1.3 to 1.7. The polymerization rate was much faster than that of the conventional thermal polymerization. A degradation of newly formed PLA in reaction mixture by microwave irradiation was observed.