Reactions of Glycerol

NITRATION: glycerol reacts with concentrated nitric acid (in concentrated H2SO4) to form 1,2,3-trinitroxypropane, better known as nitroglycerine (TNG), the explosive Alfred Nobel stabilised into dynamite. DEHYDRATION: heating glycerol with a dehydrating agent such as concentrated H2SO4 or KHSO4 gives prop-2-enal (acrolein), the pungent compound responsible for the smell of burnt fat. OXIDATION: the product mix depends heavily on the oxidant. Dilute HNO3 gives glyceric acid and tartronic acid; concentrated HNO3 gives mainly glyceric acid; bismuth nitrate gives mesooxalic acid; Br2/H2O, NaOBr, or Fenton's reagent (FeSO4 + H2O2) give a mixture of glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone (together called glycerose); periodic acid or lead te …