Selective synthesis of 1-O-alkyl glycerol and diglycerol ethers by reductive alkylation of alcohols

1-O-alkyl glycerol and diglycerol ethers are obtained in high yields and high selectivity by catalytic reductive alkylation of glycerol and diglycerol with linear aldehydes in the presence of 0.5 mol% of Pd/C under 10 bars of hydrogen using a Bronsted acid as co-catalyst. All byproducts were identified. A mechanism for the reductive alkylation is proposed.