Glycerol carbonate

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  • Identifiers

    CAS number
    931-40-8

    Molecular formula
    C4H6O4

    SMILES
    C1C(OC(=O)O1)CO

    Safety labels

  • Odor profile

    Fragrance
    Odorless 53.08%
    Caramellic 31.48%
    Buttery 27.56%
    Creamy 24.22%
    Burnt 24.22%
    Ethereal 23.71%
    Sour 22.16%
    Nutty 22.1%
    Sweet 21.86%
    Milky 21.69%

     

    Flavor
    Sweet 69.5%
    Caramel 46.01%
    Fatty 40.15%
    Bitter 37.25%
    Creamy 34.61%
    Oily 33.65%
    Coconut 32.96%
    Buttery 32.18%
    Bread 27.74%
    Tonka 27.48%

     

    Odor impact est.
    Low

  • Properties

    XLogP3-AA
    -1.5

    pKa est.
    8.26 (weak base)

    Molecular weight
    118.09 g/mol

    Vapor pressure est.

    • hPa @ 20°C
    • hPa @ 25°C

    Evaporation rate
    Ultra slow

    Boiling point est.
    374°C

    Flash point

    • 122.86 ˚C est.

  • Synonyms

    • 931-40-8
    • 4-Hydroxymethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one
    • 1,3-Dioxolan-2-one, 4-(hydroxymethyl)-
    • glycerol carbonate
    • hydroxymethyl dioxolanone
    • C15K4UUJ1E
    • MACKADERM GC
    • NSC-60535
    • DTXSID90862477
    • JEFFSOL GLYCERINE CARBONATE
    • RefChem:414855
    • DTXCID00811234
    • 213-235-0
    • 4-(Hydroxymethyl)-1,3-dioxolan-2-one
    • Glycerol 1,2-Carbonate
    • MFCD00085561
    • 4-hydroxymethyl-[1,3]dioxolan-2-one
    • UNII-C15K4UUJ1E
    • glycerin carbonate
    • NSC60535
    • EINECS 213-235-0
    • AI3-22904
    • EC 213-235-0
    • 3-hydroxypropylene carbonate
    • SCHEMBL47782
    • Glycerol 1,2-carbonate, 90%
    • SCHEMBL10418955
    • NSC 60535
    • 4-Hydroxymethyl-2-oxo-1,3-dioxolane
    • AKOS024319086
    • FH35400
    • RACEMIC GLYCEROL 1,2-CARBONATE
    • s12081
    • AS-19607
    • SY037075
    • CS-0158426
    • G0279
    • NS00006199
    • (2-OXO-1,3-DIOXOLAN-4-YL)METHANOL
    • EN300-383708
    • F521458
    • CARBONIC ACID, (HYDROXYMETHYL)ETHYLENE ESTER
    • Q5748964
    • CARBONIC ACID, CYCLIC (HYDROXYMETHYL)ETHYLENE ESTER
    • 931-40-8

  • Applications

    Glycerol carbonate (CAS 931-40-8) is a versatile cyclic carbonate used primarily as a solvent and as a reactive intermediate in polymer, coatings, and formulation chemistry. In industry, it is commonly used as a green solvent in cosmetics, personal care, and cleaning formulations due to its good solvating power and low odor. It also serves as a feedstock for the synthesis of glycidyl glycerol carbonate and related epoxy monomers, enabling epoxy resins, coatings, and adhesive formulations. As a plasticizer and processing aid, glycerol carbonate can improve flexibility and processability of polymers such as PVC, polyurethane, and biodegradable glycerol carbonate-based materials. It is also explored as a precursor to biodegradable polymers (e.g., poly(glycerol carbonate)) for biomedical applications. Additionally, it is studied as a potential electrolyte solvent in advanced electrochemical systems, including lithium-ion batteries, subject to local regulations and formulation limits.

    gpt-5-nano

  • Solubility @25˚C

    Solvent Solubility (g/L)
    ethanol 298.82
    methanol 744.73
    isopropanol 176.99
    water 581.47
    ethyl acetate 32.03
    n-propanol 134.4
    acetone 128.88
    n-butanol 122.34
    acetonitrile 77.04
    DMF 931.91
    toluene 7.71
    isobutanol 79.27
    1,4-dioxane 107.52
    methyl acetate 59.64
    THF 127.42
    2-butanone 48.86
    n-pentanol 64.14
    sec-butanol 97.8
    n-hexane 1.6
    ethylene glycol 376.89
    NMP 308.45
    cyclohexane 2.85
    DMSO 1081.97
    n-butyl acetate 17.24
    n-octanol 30.45
    chloroform 32.0
    n-propyl acetate 21.34
    acetic acid 273.29
    dichloromethane 58.29
    cyclohexanone 52.46
    propylene glycol 198.82
    isopropyl acetate 20.03
    DMAc 502.06
    2-ethoxyethanol 245.24
    isopentanol 95.49
    n-heptane 2.17
    ethyl formate 96.31
    1,2-dichloroethane 48.71
    n-hexanol 35.36
    2-methoxyethanol 625.47
    isobutyl acetate 10.14
    tetrachloromethane 7.51
    n-pentyl acetate 16.1
    transcutol 246.18
    n-heptanol 25.34
    ethylbenzene 7.54
    MIBK 27.53
    2-propoxyethanol 107.03
    tert-butanol 196.22
    MTBE 44.13
    2-butoxyethanol 71.86
    propionic acid 94.47
    o-xylene 11.82
    formic acid 860.99
    diethyl ether 31.4
    m-xylene 9.37
    p-xylene 9.4
    chlorobenzene 11.61
    dimethyl carbonate 52.22
    n-octane 1.38
    formamide 931.93
    cyclopentanone 66.56
    2-pentanone 39.67
    anisole 34.59
    cyclopentyl methyl ether 32.39
    gamma-butyrolactone 104.02
    1-methoxy-2-propanol 274.33
    pyridine 53.56
    3-pentanone 21.63
    furfural 181.96
    n-dodecane 1.68
    diethylene glycol 217.83
    diisopropyl ether 8.24
    tert-amyl alcohol 121.91
    acetylacetone 54.09
    n-hexadecane 1.75
    acetophenone 39.0
    methyl propionate 45.32
    isopentyl acetate 17.64
    trichloroethylene 55.8
    n-nonanol 26.01
    cyclohexanol 53.15
    benzyl alcohol 56.12
    2-ethylhexanol 18.41
    isooctanol 19.79
    dipropyl ether 13.76
    1,2-dichlorobenzene 16.34
    ethyl lactate 39.67
    propylene carbonate 51.95
    n-methylformamide 477.2
    2-pentanol 54.69
    n-pentane 2.8
    1-propoxy-2-propanol 58.31
    1-methoxy-2-propyl acetate 31.03
    2-(2-methoxypropoxy) propanol 84.22
    mesitylene 7.63
    ε-caprolactone 53.44
    p-cymene 7.26
    epichlorohydrin 116.48
    1,1,1-trichloroethane 15.62
    2-aminoethanol 360.37
    morpholine-4-carbaldehyde 292.65
    sulfolane 182.65
    2,2,4-trimethylpentane 1.92
    2-methyltetrahydrofuran 56.85
    n-hexyl acetate 25.72
    isooctane 1.43
    2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol 100.38
    sec-butyl acetate 12.59
    tert-butyl acetate 26.51
    decalin 1.89
    glycerin 394.48
    diglyme 190.01
    acrylic acid 130.74
    isopropyl myristate 11.98
    n-butyric acid 86.94
    acetyl acetate 23.62
    di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 20.62
    ethyl propionate 21.65
    nitromethane 386.01
    1,2-diethoxyethane 34.82
    benzonitrile 36.04
    trioctyl phosphate 15.42
    1-bromopropane 16.17
    gamma-valerolactone 150.85
    n-decanol 20.68
    triethyl phosphate 16.59
    4-methyl-2-pentanol 30.23
    propionitrile 47.34
    vinylene carbonate 65.91
    1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane 173.46
    DMS 27.05
    cumene 7.3
    2-octanol 16.83
    2-hexanone 21.57
    octyl acetate 17.75
    limonene 9.39
    1,2-dimethoxyethane 258.24
    ethyl orthosilicate 14.99
    tributyl phosphate 15.43
    diacetone alcohol 77.47
    N,N-dimethylaniline 37.54
    acrylonitrile 91.17
    aniline 33.99
    1,3-propanediol 369.35
    bromobenzene 8.71
    dibromomethane 28.71
    1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane 50.17
    2-methyl-cyclohexyl acetate 15.96
    tetrabutyl urea 29.06
    diisobutyl methanol 13.81
    2-phenylethanol 33.97
    styrene 9.16
    dioctyl adipate 20.47
    dimethyl sulfate 117.43
    ethyl butyrate 17.96
    methyl lactate 90.86
    butyl lactate 26.68
    diethyl carbonate 16.34
    propanediol butyl ether 88.9
    triethyl orthoformate 16.64
    p-tert-butyltoluene 7.27
    methyl 4-tert-butylbenzoate 44.26
    morpholine 149.61
    tert-butylamine 70.69
    n-dodecanol 16.16
    dimethoxymethane 228.6
    ethylene carbonate 45.77
    cyrene 82.07
    2-ethoxyethyl acetate 26.83
    2-ethylhexyl acetate 12.13
    1,2,4-trichlorobenzene 18.98
    4-methylpyridine 54.1
    dibutyl ether 14.02
    2,6-dimethyl-4-heptanol 13.81
    DEF 117.83
    dimethyl isosorbide 82.01
    tetrachloroethylene 37.59
    eugenol 60.0
    triacetin 31.44
    span 80 52.48
    1,4-butanediol 149.72
    1,1-dichloroethane 22.79
    2-methyl-1-pentanol 53.65
    methyl formate 289.01
    2-methyl-1-butanol 76.12
    n-decane 2.21
    butyronitrile 52.33
    3,7-dimethyl-1-octanol 26.06
    1-chlorooctane 7.96
    1-chlorotetradecane 4.29
    n-nonane 2.0
    undecane 1.87
    tert-butylcyclohexane 1.71
    cyclooctane 1.51
    cyclopentanol 65.08
    tetrahydropyran 42.35
    tert-amyl methyl ether 36.02
    2,5,8-trioxanonane 147.43
    1-hexene 5.64
    2-isopropoxyethanol 101.72
    2,2,2-trifluoroethanol 169.49
    methyl butyrate 38.72

    Scent© AI

1 4

IFRA standard 51

Recommendation
No restriction
Maximum acceptable concentrations in the finished product (%)
Category 1
Products applied to the lips
 No restriction Category 7A
Rinse-off products applied to the hair with some hand contact
 No restriction
Category 2
Products applied to the axillae
 No restriction Category 7B
Leave-on products applied to the hair with some hand contact
 No restriction
Category 3
Products applied to the face/body using fingertips
 No restriction Category 8
Products with significant anogenital exposure
 No restriction
Category 4
Products related to fine fragrance
 No restriction Category 9
Products with body and hand exposure, primarily rinse off
 No restriction
Category 5A
Body lotion products applied to the body using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 10A
Household care products with mostly hand contact
 No restriction
Category 5B
Face moisturizer products applied to the face using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 10B
Household care products with mostly hand contact, including aerosol/spray products (with potential leave-on skin contact)
 No restriction
Category 5C
Hand cream products applied to the hands using the hands (palms), primarily leave on
 No restriction Category 11A
Products with intended skin contact but minimal transfer of fragrance to skin from inert substrate without UV exposure
 No restriction
Category 5D
Baby Creams, baby Oils and baby talc
 No restriction Category 11B
Products with intended skin contact but minimal transfer of fragrance to skin from inert substrate with potential UV exposure
 No restriction
Category 6
Products with oral and lip exposure
 No restriction Category 12
Products not intended for direct skin contact, minimal or insignificant transfer to skin
 No restriction