The alkyl glycidyl ether as synthetic building blocks

Alkyl glycidyl ether is one of the most useful key materials for industrial applications because the addition reaction of various kinds of nucleophilic reagents to the reactive epoxy bond of the glycidyl ethers has led to glyceryl ether derivatives. Glyceryl ether exhibits many interesting physical and pharmacological properties. The alkyl glycidyl ether can presently be produced at an industrial scale under the phase-transfer catalytic Williamson ether synthesis. We have reviwwed some addition reactions of the alkyl glycidyl ether and possibilities for use as the building blocks for the syntheses of surfactants, pharmaceuticals, etc. that contain glyceryl ether skeletons. Typical examples of alkyl glyceryl ether derivatives include: amino ether as cosmetic material, and isodiglycerin mono- and dialkyl ethers and triglycerin monoalkyl ether as a cosmetic or a pharmacologically useful material, respectively. Another interesting reaction is the rearrangement of the epoxy bond of the alkyl glycidyl ether, which gives alkoxy ketone in a one-pot synthesis.