Glycerol has always found itself tangled in the evolution of chemical industries, especially once renewable resources became pressing concerns. Solketal entered the scene during the search for more versatile and greener building blocks. Chemists started paying attention to solketal once biodiesel production surged and glycerol supplies flooded the market. The idea of transforming this surplus into value-added products picked up momentum in the early 2000s. Researchers began targeting solketal not only because it could mop up excess glycerol but also because the product showed a unique mix of chemical resilience and adaptability. Over the past couple decades, demand for higher-quality solvents, fuel additives, and pharmaceutical intermediates kept solketal in active discussion. The story of solketal reflects how industrial shifts and environmental problems coax scientists to find practical innovations from what looks like waste.
Solketal, known chemically as 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol, stands out as a versatile acetal formed from glycerol and acetone. Its molecular structure displays a five-membered dioxolane ring, sheltering a primary hydroxyl group. This special arrangement provides solketal with chemical stability and decent hydrophobic-lipophilic balance, making it work as both a solvent and an intermediate for more advanced syntheses. Chemical plants and labs order solketal in bulk to jumpstart the manufacture of bio-based polymers, resins, specialty fuels, and pharmaceutical ingredients. Thanks to its renewable origin and relative ease of upgrading, solketal draws the attention of companies looking to reduce dependence on petrochemicals.
Pure solketal pours as a colorless, almost sweet-smelling liquid, with a boiling point floating around 188°C. Its melting point stays low enough for easy handling in most climates. The molecular weight comes in at 132.16 g/mol. With its moderate polarity, the compound mixes well with most organic solvents but resists full dissolution in water, setting it apart from straight-chain glycerol derivatives. The free primary alcohol group gives it room for further reactions, while the acetal ring shrugs off mild acids and bases, protecting the backbone during tricky synthesis procedures. As a chemical that balances stability with modifiability, solketal proves easy to store, pump, and use in diverse manufacturing environments.
Industry suppliers wheel out solketal in drums or IBC totes labeled with the IUPAC name, batch number, and purity (usually 98% or higher for specialty applications). Labels identify the CAS number: 100-79-8. Ingredient disclosure and safety information keep the product in line with global GHS and REACH standards. Tech sheets spell out appearance, moisture content, residual glycerol, and acidity. Laboratories keep tight reins on the purity since trace acids, water, or residual acetone can skew downstream reactions. Users often call for a clear certificate of analysis outlining these points. The common form is a liquid, but handling guidelines remain the same—avoid ignition sources, keep containers tight, and store in a dry, cool area.
Solid science backs the preparation of solketal. The process involves reacting glycerol with acetone in the presence of an acid catalyst, most often sulfuric acid or p-toluenesulfonic acid. The mixture gets stirred at moderate temperature (often 40–60°C), and the reversible acetalization starts locking the two molecules together. Water emerges as the main byproduct and gets removed to boost yield—setting up a Dean-Stark trap or applying a vacuum helps draw this water away. Filtration and distillation steps clean up the product, stripping out catalyst, excess raw materials, and side products. Chemists often lean on green chemistry tricks: using solid acid catalysts or doing the reaction under solvent-free conditions to cut down on waste and energy use. The result—high-purity solketal—can roll straight into further transformations without much fuss.
Solketal’s unique backbone makes it a springboard for all kinds of transformations. Its primary alcohol can serve as a starting point for etherification, esterification, alkylation, or oxidation. Chemists exploit this handle to tack on new groups, creating surfactants, lubricants, plasticizers, or pharmaceutical intermediates. The strong acetal ring shields sensitive sites during multi-step syntheses, only to open under acidic conditions when needed. Solketal can undergo ring-opening reactions to regenerate glycerol, or serve as a safer, more controlled substitute for direct glycerol in sensitive polymerizations. Research labs tweak its structure to crank out cyclic carbonates, advanced polyols, and even specialty solvents. Adjusting temperature, solvents, and catalyst choice gives researchers a toolkit for custom tailoring the molecule’s properties to fit advanced applications.
Solketal doesn’t always show up under the same banner. Depending on supplier or context, it takes names such as isopropylidene glycerol, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol, or simply glycerol acetonide. Each label points back to the same structure: a protected glycerol with a dioxolane ring at its core. Some databases or catalogs stick to its CAS number, 100-79-8, as a shortcut in regulatory paperwork or bulk purchasing. Pharmaceutical and fine chemical catalogs tend to highlight its function as a protected glycerol unit for custom synthesis.
Most chemical handlers consider solketal a low-hazard material compared to many solvents and intermediates. Even so, it deserves informed caution—workers follow standard PPE routines: gloves, goggles, flame-resistant coats, and well-ventilated spaces. Solketal has a flash point near 86°C, so it falls under combustible-liquid rules, not flammable. Storage away from acids and oxidizers keeps risk in check. SDS data flag mild skin and eye irritation from direct contact, with inhalation risk present only during spills or high-temperature operations. Waste streams head to controlled incineration or wastewater treatment since the dioxolane ring resists biological breakdown. Facilities keep up with OSHA, EU CLP, and GHS regulations to avoid safety lapses and maintain best practices in production, storage, and waste management.
Fuel manufacturers with an eye on renewable blends turn to solketal as an oxygenate additive for gasoline and biodiesel. Its ring structure cuts down on engine knocking while improving combustion properties. Paint and polymer producers appreciate solketal as a solvent—its evaporation rate and stability outperform many commonplace ethers and alcohols. Pharmaceutical chemists rely on it as a reliable protecting group in multi-step molecule synthesis, shielding sensitive parts until the last reaction. Lubricant specialists and coating formulators look to solketal-based derivatives for anti-wear additives and plasticizer systems that meet stricter toxicity rules. Even analytical chemists mix solketal into mobile phases for chromatography, banking on its polarity and resistance to breakdown. Its renewable, glycerol-based sourcing often tilts purchasing decisions among buyers looking for safer chemistry choices across industries.
University and industry labs use solketal as a testbed for greener chemistry. Much of the research investigates new solid acid catalysts, co-solvents, or continuous-flow reactors to push up efficiency. Solketal’s role as a platform molecule gets expanded by coupling it with other biomass sources, forming advanced resins, cyclic carbonates, or functional bio-based polymers. Some teams play with asymmetric syntheses or biocatalytic pathways to increase selectivity and reduce waste. Analytical chemists measure impurity profiles and long-term storage stability, setting benchmarks for broader commercial adoption. R&D departments across the chemical sector push for high-throughput screening of solketal-based derivatives, eyeing new surfactants, emulsifiers, and specialty lubricants with reduced toxicity and improved biodegradability.
Toxicologists have taken a good look at solketal’s safety margin. Repeated in vitro and in vivo tests mark it as possessing low acute toxicity compared to similar solvents. Studies show minimal skin and eye sensitization, with negligible carcinogenic or mutagenic risks in standard exposure routes. Breakdown products—chiefly acetone and glycerol—fall within accepted risk limits for human and aquatic safety, although chronic exposure at high doses could carry risks not yet fully captured in long-term studies. Regulatory bodies keep a close watch, demanding up-to-date toxicology data as use broadens in consumer products, pharmaceuticals, and food-adjacent applications.
Solketal stands ready to carve out a bigger role as industries realign around bio-based, non-toxic materials. The search for greener fuel additives, high-performance solvents, and safe chemical intermediates keeps demand on the rise. New catalysts and process tweaks may soon cut preparation costs, pushing the molecule from niche to mainstream. Researchers betting on biodegradable plastics, improved lubricants, and performance coatings already see solketal as a building block with real staying power. Safety data and regulatory acceptance look strong, cementing its position in circular chemistry. As glycerol keeps streaming out of biodiesel plants, turning it into valuable solketal could offer both environmental and economic benefits for decades.
Solketal, a compound born from the reaction of glycerol and acetone, pops up in chemical conversations more and more. Chemists like it because it opens new doors in both research and applications outside the typical lab. I remember standing in a laboratory as a student, watching reactions bubble away, and Solketal always kept its spot on the ingredients shelf because of its sheer versatility.
If you’ve ever wondered how fuel reliability gets a boost, Solketal offers answers. It blends into biodiesel production and finds value because it helps address some of the practical weaknesses of traditional biodiesel. Regular biodiesel sometimes struggles in cold weather and with stability over time. Solketal smooths out these issues by lowering the freezing point and reducing the formation of unwanted byproducts like gums, which clog engines. The European Union has invested time in researching additives like Solketal specifically for these reasons. I read one study where diesel blends with Solketal ran cleaner under cold-start conditions, cutting down on particle emissions.
Beyond fuels, Solketal has turned heads in the pharmaceutical world. The molecule is handy as a protecting group for glycerol derivatives, which means it shields parts of a molecule from reacting at the wrong stage of drug synthesis. This technique crops up in the preparation of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Companies rely on Solketal not just for protecting glycerol, but also because it can be easily removed after its job is done. High purity standards in pharmaceuticals demand reliable and predictable building blocks, giving Solketal a regular seat at the table.
Look at industrial cleaning products or paint thinners, and you’ll sometimes find Solketal hidden there. Manufacturers choose it when they need a solvent that mixes water and oil phases. Painters I’ve met swear by products with Solketal when cleaning up after thick oil-based paints. Chemists also rely on it in laboratory settings, especially when running reactions that need that delicate balance between hydrophobic and hydrophilic.
Sustainability matters more now than ever. Glycerol, one of Solketal’s starting ingredients, builds up as a byproduct of biodiesel production — meaning every ton of biodiesel brings another pile of excess glycerol. Transforming it into Solketal doesn’t just solve a waste problem, it adds value to the whole manufacturing chain. By putting an otherwise discarded substance to use, Solketal supports the movement towards greener chemistry. Instead of letting resources go to waste, companies find new ways to keep things cycling. Large-scale adoption of Solketal could help the biofuel industry manage its waste and reduce environmental impact, a trend that's gaining traction through industry reports and research papers across Europe and Asia.
Researchers experiment with Solketal as a stepping stone to other chemicals. Its structure, with both a ketal and a glycerol backbone, means it takes part in a variety of reactions. Chemical engineers continue searching for new uses, aiming for better plastics, safer solvents, or ingredients for cosmetic products. Universities and private labs explore new synthesis methods that push Solketal’s growth, especially as a platform chemical for industries wanting renewable feedstocks.
Challenges remain. Production routes for Solketal sometimes run into cost and scalability issues, slowing down bigger rollouts. More efficient catalytic pathways could drive prices down and make adoption easier. Collaboration between fuel makers, chemical plants, and researchers can clear these hurdles quicker. Clear regulations and incentives from governments would boost confidence for companies looking to substitute petroleum-based chemicals with bio-based ones like Solketal.
Solketal isn’t new, but its uses have started finding their way into more conversations about sustainable industry, clean energy, and efficient chemical processes. As long as companies and researchers look for greener, smarter solutions, Solketal should see even broader horizons.
Solketal isn’t something you’ll find on your kitchen shelf. This chemical pops up more in labs and the biofuel world than in your morning coffee. It’s what chemists call an acetal—basically, a product from mixing glycerol and acetone. Folks use Solketal to make biodiesel perform better, to tweak pharmaceuticals, or craft specialty chemicals. With science putting it in so many places, the question comes up: can it actually go anywhere near people’s food or drink?
Mostly, Solketal’s job stays outside the body. Research hasn’t checked long-term health effects in people. Safety agencies like the FDA don’t list it as suitable for use in food. Studies on animals are limited. Few experiments probe what happens if Solketal gets swallowed. Laboratory data put high doses in rodents, watching for symptoms. In these cases, animals showed digestive problems and changes to normal organ function. These are not the risks you want anywhere close to your food.
Chemical structure plays a part here. Solketal breaks down into acetone and glycerol. Glycerol turns up in foods with no trouble—think about the sweetener in your toothpaste. Acetone, though, turns heads for the wrong reasons. It’s a recognized irritant. In humans, acetone at moderate to high levels can spur nausea, headaches, and worse with enough exposure. Even if a small amount of Solketal slipped through, there’s no evidence yet to guarantee what dose is actually benign in diets over time.
Curiosity drives inventors to see what chemicals can do outside the lab. Many industrial chemicals end up with food applications after years of paperwork and studies. Take ascorbic acid—better known as vitamin C—it took decades for agencies to mark it as safe. Solketal, so far, got attention from green fuel researchers, not from nutritionists. Nobody has filed evidence with food safety authorities to ask for official approval as a food-grade material. European Food Safety Authority databases don’t show any approved uses. FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) lists skip over Solketal entirely. This is no small oversight. For chemicals with metabolic breakdown products like acetone, regulators don’t hand out clearances lightly.
People in science, and every consumer with a stake in food supply quality, should insist on much more evidence before letting any new ingredient near anyone’s plate. Rigorous studies draw the line between possible and proven safe. That means checking what the body does with the chemical, not just what a rat’s digestive system handled over a few weeks.
Food safety matters for health, trust, and public confidence. Long experience in chemistry and toxicology shows one shortcut can open the door to big risks. With Solketal, the available facts just don’t support using it in products meant for people. New research could change that down the line, but declarations about safety need to ride on a bigger pile of public evidence checked by health authorities.
If a chemist proposed a new ingredient for school lunches, scrutiny from every angle would follow. Solketal should see the same attention—open data, transparent studies, and oversight by legitimate scientists and regulators. Until then, leave Solketal to do its job in the lab or the tank, far from the table.
Solketal, known in labs as isopropylidene glycerol, doesn’t just sound fancy—it carries some interesting characteristics worth talking about. It’s an organic compound, showing up as a clear, slightly sweet-smelling liquid. With roots in glycerol, you find its backbone in bio-based chemistry. It boils at around 188°C, much higher than water, so it sticks around in reactions that need some heat. The kicker is its dual nature—Solketal dissolves in both water and many organic solvents. That’s like having a key for every door in synthetic chemistry.
Solketal comes from locking a bit of glycerol structure into a ring using acetone. That feels a little like you’re tucking away part of the molecule to keep it from getting into trouble. The result is a five-membered ring with two oxygen atoms, giving Solketal its resilience and selectivity in reactions. Chemists call this group an acetal, and that ring lets Solketal dodge attacks from many acids and bases under milder conditions.
Having worked in chemical labs, I’ve seen how Solketal refuses to react with most acids and bases at room temperature. This stability has real value: you can use it to mask or “protect” the more delicate pieces of a molecule during multi-step syntheses. I’ve used it as a protective glove for glycerol, making sure tweaks can happen elsewhere in the same molecule without breaking everything. This protection also shields the alcohol groups, so only the chosen reaction goes through.
Get Solketal in the presence of strong acid at elevated temperatures, and that ring can open up. Suddenly, you’ve got your glycerol back and some acetone. This kind of controlled reversal means you can take off the protective glove exactly when you’re finished with the tough work.
Plenty of chemicals either love water or hate it, but Solketal mingles with both water and organic solvents. That makes it a useful middleman for blending, transferring—or just cleaning up—in the laboratory. It doesn’t hang around in the environment forever, breaking down fairly easily into less hazardous substances compared to many petroleum-based solvents.
Like a lot of lab chemicals, Solketal comes with its own hazards. It’s not acutely toxic, but it evaporates slowly and can irritate the skin or eyes. Ventilation matters when working with it, and gloves aren’t optional. If you spill it, soap and water lift it right up. I remember a colleague splashing some on a bench; a quick cleanup kept the lab safe and moving.
Big industry uses and greener chemistry trends mean more of this compound ends up in the supply chain. Responsibility rests on the shoulders of everyone involved, from procurement to disposal.
There’s a place for Solketal in pharmaceutical and specialty chemical manufacturing. Its stability lets us build complicated molecules without worrying about every reaction step derailing the process. One problem that comes up: cost and scale-up. Sourcing sustainable glycerol from biodiesel byproducts helps with both price and environmental impact.
Researchers are always hunting for smarter ways to recycle or reuse Solketal. Recovered product often heads back through the process, streamlining both the budget and waste stream. More companies ought to make closed-loop systems the default, not a bonus.
Folks talk about green chemistry, but it starts with simple building blocks like Solketal. Each layer of stability, reactivity, and safety opens doors for cleaner, more efficient reactions. That echoes through everything from drug discovery to fuel additives. The future of chemistry relies on making better choices with every ingredient, not just the flashiest ones.
Solketal, a compound with a curious-sounding name, comes with a strong connection to sustainability and greener fuels. Used as a fuel additive or intermediate, it helps make biodiesel better and plays a part in medicine and cosmetics. As someone who keeps an eye on chemistry’s practical impact, Solketal stands out not just for its uses but for how chemists make it in a lab or factory. There’s real-world interest because everyday transport needs smarter additives, and industry needs reliable, responsible manufacturing routes.
Manufacturers begin with glycerol, a thick, sweet liquid that appears in stacks of industries—food, soap, biodiesel, you name it. The trick with Solketal is reacting the glycerol with acetone. Mix these up, and you land on a reaction called ketalization. The process calls for acid catalysis, which means throwing in an acid (often sulfuric acid or p-toluenesulfonic acid), not for fun but to drive the reaction forward. Mix the acetone and glycerol, add that acid, stir things up at mild heat, and you get a chemical transformation.
Water wants to sneak in and slow stuff down by nudging the reaction backward, so keeping the mixture dry or using a dehydrating agent helps. Remove water as it forms, and the yield rises. Depending on the scale, labs use clever setups like Dean-Stark traps for continuous water removal. On a factory floor, someone might go with molecular sieves.
After a few hours of efficient stirring and proper temperature control, the team behind the beakers gets a mix loaded with the desired compound. Next, wash out leftover acids and other bits with a base or just water. Separating the product—either with a distillation or a simple separation funnel—brings Solketal to the fore, a clear, slightly oily liquid ready to serve as an advanced material.
It’s worth highlighting—this route values green chemistry. Glycerol shows up as a major by-product from biodiesel manufacturing, and using it stops it from piling up as waste. Each gallon of biodiesel brings nearly half a gallon of glycerol. Turning this surplus into Solketal gives the glycerol a purpose, reducing waste and boosting the economics and energy balance of the biodiesel trade.
Academic articles and industrial experience back up the value in this synthesis. Chemists have published papers showing efficiencies above 80% for this conversion, especially with reusable solid acids for a lower environmental load. Fact is, this clear focus on recovery and reuse makes the Solketal story one worth following.
There’s still ground to cover. Some setups depend on hazardous acids, and downstream washing uses water that turns acidic and needs treatment. Moving toward solid acid catalysts and flow chemistry setups minimizes these issues. With flow reactors, the control sharpens and product purity jumps.
Solketal won’t end the world’s fossil fuel addiction overnight, but as one practical block in greener fuels and plastics, it shows what thoughtful chemistry brings to real-world issues. The way it’s made today, and the improvements on the horizon, suggest more eco-friendly chemistry within reach for energy and manufacturing.
Solketal isn’t something most folks pick up on a trip to the store. Chemists and researchers lean on it for making greener fuels and specialty chemicals. As a molecule that shields certain groups during reactions, it has gotten attention in labs looking for better ways to produce pharmaceuticals, flavors, and renewable products. The recent push for cleaner energy keeps raising its profile. But knowing what you need is only half the battle—you have to find a trustworthy place to buy it.
Anyone who’s tried to buy research chemicals learns quick: online marketplaces are flooded. Some international companies sell Solketal in small and bulk quantities. Names like Sigma-Aldrich (now MilliporeSigma), Alfa Aesar, TCI, and Fisher Scientific keep coming up among researchers. I have relied on Sigma and Fisher for years; shipments arrive with proper documentation, and the staff answer questions about purity, storage, and shipping. These suppliers make it easy to check certificates of analysis and batch records, which counts for a lot if you need consistency and can’t afford an experiment to backfire because of impurities.
Solketal is safe to handle with basic lab precautions, but purity matters. Impurities turn a routine synthesis into a headache. Buying from established suppliers reduces risks. If you search marketplaces like Alibaba, Amazon, or small chemical exchange websites, know that not all vendors meet the same standards. Some list attractive prices without solid proof of testing or regulatory compliance. Poor labeling or contaminated stock can cost you time, money, and even put safety at risk. Reports online mention shipments held up in customs or bottles arriving with damage. It’s worth pausing to check what documents and safety data the supplier offers.
Every country sets its rules on chemical imports. Regulations change all the time, especially for anything with potential industrial or environmental impact. In the U.S., Solketal isn’t a controlled substance, but buying in bulk can trigger extra paperwork. Importers in the European Union or Asia face similar hoops. I’ve learned to call before placing an order, just for peace of mind that my shipment won’t get stuck. University and company purchasing staff can often advise if you’re new to this. Never skip the step of checking if your institution needs documents like hazardous material declarations. If you buy for a high school or public lab, many suppliers won’t sell directly—a licensed distributor or educator account can help.
The least stressful path often comes from going straight to recognized chemical suppliers. Their sales reps can help set up an account, explain the paperwork, and offer technical support. If you’re in a smaller outfit, regional distributors often keep Solketal in stock or can add it to a regular order. Building a good relationship with these companies pays off; you get advanced notice of shortages or changes in packaging.
Solketal works behind the scenes in a lot of cleaner-energy work and research, but sourcing it safely matters as much as knowing what it does. Finding the right vendor, understanding the paperwork, and making safety a priority will keep your work on track.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | 2,2-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-ylmethanol |
| Other names |
Isopropylidene glycerol
2,2-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane-4-methanol Glycerol formal 1,2-Isopropylideneglycerol 4-Hydroxymethyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane |
| Pronunciation | /ˈsɒl.kɪ.tæl/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 100-79-8 |
| Beilstein Reference | 1721396 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:17311 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL150597 |
| ChemSpider | 162141 |
| DrugBank | DB11262 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.124.220 |
| EC Number | 263-193-3 |
| Gmelin Reference | 68487 |
| KEGG | C11122 |
| MeSH | D03.633.400.200.250 |
| PubChem CID | 12387 |
| RTECS number | TY2450000 |
| UNII | 8A0Z2JZ34Q |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C6H12O3 |
| Molar mass | 146.19 g/mol |
| Appearance | Colourless liquid |
| Odor | faint characteristic |
| Density | 1.067 g/mL at 25 °C |
| Solubility in water | miscible |
| log P | -0.41 |
| Vapor pressure | 0.008 hPa at 25 °C |
| Acidity (pKa) | 13.64 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 1.95 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -7.8e-6 cm³/mol |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.410 |
| Viscosity | 3.2 mPa·s (20 °C) |
| Dipole moment | 3.50 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 282.2 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -589.6 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -3405 kJ/mol |
| Pharmacology | |
| ATC code | A01AB12 |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling | GHS07, Exclamation Mark |
| Pictograms | GHS02", "GHS07 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H319: Causes serious eye irritation. |
| Precautionary statements | P264, P280, P305+P351+P338, P337+P313 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 1-1-0 |
| Flash point | Flash point: 99 °C |
| Autoignition temperature | 210 °C |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 (oral, rat) > 2000 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose) of Solketal: >2000 mg/kg (rat, oral) |
| PEL (Permissible) | PEL not established |
| REL (Recommended) | Low hazard |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Glycerol
Isopropylidene glycerol Ketal Glycerol-1,2-acetonide |
