Solketal

Solketal is a protected form of glycerol. The exact protection being an isopropylene group over two neighbouring hydroxyl groups. Solketal contains a chiral center on the center carbon of the glycerol backbone, and so can be purchased as either the racemer or as one of the two isomers (which is a lot more expensive). Solketal has been used extensively in the synthesis of mono-, di- and triglycerides by ester bond formation. The free hydroxyl groupd of solketal can be esterified with a carboxylic aicd to form the protected monoglyceride, where the isopropylene group can then be removed using an acid catalyst in aqueous or alcoholic medium. The unprotected diol can then be esterified further to form either the di- or triglceride.