CONTEXT

Continuous energy crises and increasing demand for conventional fuels has resulted in the need for biofuels on a commercial scale. Transesterification of oils to biodiesel is coupled with significant production of a glycerol-rich water (so-called “crude” or “raw” glycerol), as an important side-product of the process. The increasing demand for biodiesel leads to abundant quantities of this glycerol on the market. Therefore, glycerol valorization has much to offer in the cost reduction of biodiesel production.

Etherification constitutes one of the ways of valorization of glycerol for obtaining glycerol ethers, still indicated polyglycerols. The glycerol ethers have various applications according to their preparation and of their structure. The polyglycerols are also primarily intermediaries of synthesis of the esters of polyglycerols