Preparation of Glycerol

Glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol) occurs naturally in fats and oils as its fatty-acid triesters (triglycerides, e.g. glyceryl tripalmitate). Alkaline hydrolysis of a triglyceride with NaOH -- the SAPONIFICATION reaction, the same reaction used industrially to make soap -- cleaves all three ester linkages, releasing glycerol plus the sodium salts o …