Patent ID: 8236975

Claim:
A process for preparing an epoxide comprising the steps of: (a) contacting a crude glycerol, an ester of a crude glycerol, or a mixture thereof with a source of hydrogen chloride in the presence of a catalyst to produce a chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof, said contacting step carried out without substantial removal of water, and at a hydrogen chloride partial pressure of from about 15 psia to about 1000 psia; wherein said crude glycerol, said ester of crude glycerol, or mixture thereof is derived from a renewable raw material; and wherein the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, an anhydride, an acid chloride, an ester, a lactone, a lactam, an amide, a metal organic compound, a metal salt, a compound convertible to a carboxylic acid under the reaction conditions of the process, and a combination thereof; and (b) contacting the chlorohydrin, an ester of a chlorohydrin, or a mixture thereof formed in step (a) above with a base to form an epoxide.