PROCESS FOR PRODUCING GLYCERYL ETHER

摘要

A process for producing a glyceryl ether which contains a markedly small amount of organohalogen compounds and therefore can be used even for cosmetics and body detergents. The process comprises reacting an alcohol with an alpha-epihalohydrin in the presence of an acid catalyst, subjecting the reaction mixture to ring closure to convert it into the corresponding glycidyl ether and then hydrolyzing the glycidyl ether, wherein: (a) the hydrolysis is effected at 140 to 230° C. in the presence of a salt formed from a strongly basic compound and a weakly acidic compound, or (b) the reaction mixture after the hydrolysis is heated at 100 to 230° C. in the presence of a salt formed from a strongly basic compound and a weakly acidic compound.