Is Glycerin considered a Glycol or part of the Glycol family?

This was an interesting question that was posed to us by two different clients.  It stems from classification of our Timberline Concentrate Antifreeze / Coolant and Timberline Hydraulic Fluid.  Here is what Axel Negrete, a board advisor and chemical engineer, responded with:

“I would say no, they are not the same.   A glycol is a diol, it has 2 -OH groups in the formula. Glycerine, on the other hand, is a triol, which has 3 -OH groups. Glycol and glycerine are older (common) names, not IUPAC nomenclature.“

 

 

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