Glyserol

Glyserol, more commonly known in English as glycerol or glycerin (IUPAC name: propane-1,2,3-triol), is a simple polyol compound with the chemical formula C3H8O3 and a molar mass of about 92.09 g·mol−1. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous, sweet-tasting liquid that is hygroscopic and fully miscible with water and many polar solvents.

Physically, glycerol has a melting point near 18 °C and a high boiling point (decomposes before boiling under atmospheric pressure). The molecule contains three hydroxyl groups, which confer strong hydrogen-bonding ability, high solubility in water, and reactivity typical of alcohols, including esterification and oxidation reactions. Glycerol is achiral due to symmetry of its terminal groups.

Industrial production of glycerol arises primarily as a byproduct of biodiesel manufacture (fatty acid transesterification) and from hydrolysis or saponification of fats and oils. It is also produced by chemical synthesis routes for specialized applications.

Glycerol has wide-ranging uses: as a humectant, sweetener, and preservative in food and pharmaceutical products; as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics; as a cryoprotectant in biological preservation; in polymer and nitroglycerin manufacture; and in antifreeze and hydraulic fluids. It is generally regarded as safe for topical and oral use at customary concentrations. In large doses, glycerol can have laxative effects, and concentrated vapor or liquid can pose mild health or safety risks. Historically, it was first isolated in the late 18th century and remains an important chemical intermediate and commodity material.