Preparation of esterified propoxylated glycerin from free fatty acids

A method for the preparation of an esterified propoxylated glycerin which comprises the steps of:

• propoxylating glycerin at a temperature of from about 70.degree. C. to about 130.degree. C. with propylene oxide, added at the autogenous pressure of the reaction system, in the presence of from about 0.0003 mol to about 3.3 mol of alkali metal content of an alkali metal alkoxylate catalyst per 100 g glycerin employed to give a propoxylated glycerin having from 2 to 100 oxypropylene oxide units per glycerin;
• esterifying the propoxylated glycerin directly, without the removal of alkali metal propoxylated glycerin catalyst, at a temperature of from about 100.degree. C. to about 250.degree. C. with an excess of a saturated or unsaturated C10 to C24 fatty acid or mixtures thereof to provide an esterified propoxylated glycerin product;
• and
• purifying the esterified propoxylated glycerin product by a wash extraction with methanol at temperatures of from about -10.degree. C. to about 50.degree. C., or vacuum steam stripping at temperatures of from about 180.degree. C. to about 220.degree. C. to remove excess unreacted fatty acid, followed by neutralization with an alkali metal hydroxide and filtering to essentially remove and reduce alkali metal content and to provide a food grade esterified propoxylated glycerin.