Glycerol
chemical compound
Glycerol () is a sugar alcohol with chemical formula C3H5(OH)3. It has three carbon atoms with one hydroxyl group on each. Glycerol is a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting, viscous liquid at Standard Ambient Temperature and Pressure (SATP). Because of its three hydroxyl groups, glycerol is miscible with water and is hygroscopic in nature.
The glycerol backbone is found in lipids known as glycerides, where one or more of the hydroxyl groups are esterified with fatty acids. The most abundant of glycerides are triglycerides (found in animal fats and vegetable oils), the form in which glycerol is most commonly found in nature. It is also widely used as a sweetener in the food industry and as a humectant in pharmaceutical formulations.
Modern use of the word glycerine (alternatively spelled glycerin) refers to commercial preparations of glycerol that are less than 100% pure, typically 95%.
Structure
Although achiral, glycerol is prochiral with respect to reactions of one of the two primary alcohols. Thus, in substituted derivatives, the stereospecific numbering labels the molecule with a sn- prefix before the stem name of the molecule.
The public source identifies “Glycerol” as chemical compound. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Glycerol, chemical and compound.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Glycerol”, the useful work is to connect “chemical compound” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q132501. The Library of Congress control number is sh85055393. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Glycerol”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Glycerol primary sources, Glycerol archive and Glycerol research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Glycerol”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Glycerol” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.