Biocatalyzed Acetins Production under Continuous-Flow Conditions: Valorization of Glycerol Derived from Biodiesel Industry

The use of glycerol derived from biodiesel industry is an important development to add value to this actual waste. Several products can be obtained from glycerol, but acetins are very interesting molecules with a wide range of applications in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food, and fuel industry. Herein we report our results on biocatalyzed batch and continuous-flow process for valorization of glycerol derived from biodiesel industry towards acetin production. Excellent results can be obtained with different selectivities depending on the nature of glycerol used and reaction conditions being able to produce monoacetin, diacetin, or triacetin depending on the reaction condition.