Glycerol was hydrochlorinated to dichloropropanols (I) with gaseous HCl in a cascade of 4 mixed tank reactors in presence of adipic acid (10.68%) or org. adipates as catalysts at 120 degrees C for 8 h (yield 85%). The reactor effluent comprised an acidic aq. fraction and a concd. fraction of I (mainly (CH(2)Cl)(2)CHOH). The recycling of the catalyst-derived esters (after recovery of concd. I) did not result in any substantial decrease of the reaction yield or selectivity.