The Synthesis And Characterization Of Alkyl Ether Of Glycerol Formal

As the biodiesel production is increasing exponentially, the by product-glycerol produced from the transesterification has also been generated in a large quantity, so new technologies for the conversion of glycerol into valueable added products are highly attractive. Producing alkyl ethers of glycerol formal is a rational way of utilizing glycerol. There three methods of producing alkyl ethers of glycerol formal are introduced.First, pure alkyl ethers of glycerol formal were synthesized through Williams, and we analyze the properties and structures of these products. The results indicated that, the solubilities of these alkyl ethers of glycerol formal in gasoline and diesel oil are both above 20%, moreover, with the carbon number increasing, the solubility in diesel oil is rising and the solubility in water is reducing, so alkyl ethers of glycerol formal are suitable for blending in gasoline and diesel oil.In this article, we also introduce two-step method (alcohols react with glycerol formal) to synthesize alkyl ethers of glycerol formal. Experimental results show that in the catalysis of A15 and D006, the product yields are higher than other catalysts. The reaction system containing alcohol(1mol), glycerol formal(1.3mol), cyclohexane and A15 (A15/amount of raw material is 2%) was carried out at about 80oC for 4h until no water was produced. The product yields of ethyl ether of glycerol formal to amyl ether of glycerol formal are 21.7%, 25.6%, 33.3%, 35.7%, respectively. We also discuss the effect of kinds of catalysts, the amount of catalysts, inital alcohol/glycerol formal molar ratio, reaction time, reaction temperature on the product yield, the results show that the product yield is enhanced if increase the amount of catalyst, the same orderliness is also apply to enhance inital alcohol/glycerol formal molar ratio and increase reaction time; take toluene as water-carrying agent, product yield is higher than cyclohexane.One-step method is also discussed in this article, the results show that in the condition of A15(A15/ amount of raw material is 2%), inital glycerol/alcohols molar ratio is 1:1.3, reation time is 5h, the product yields of ethyl ether of glycerol formal to amyl ether of glycerol formal are16.3%, 23.5%, 26.7%, 28.9%, respectively.