A versatile, flexible synthesis of 1,3-diglycerides and tryglycerides.

A flexible method for synthesising 1,30diflycerides and triglycerides is described. Glycidol esters, prepared by a known route from epichlorohydrin and the sodium salt of a fatty acid, were heated with another or with the same fatty acid and a quaternary ammonium salt. This resulted in a fast, mild reaction and higher yields and greater purity of the diglycerides than hitherto obtained in this synthesis. The mixture of 1,3- and 1,2-diglycerides obtained was isomerised by heating while still in the solid phase to 1,3-diglycerides. Triglycerides were prepared from the diglycerides by acylation using a fatty acid chloride and pyridine in hexane.