The acid-catalysed condensation of glycerol, a chemical from renewable materials, with benzaldehyde, formaldehyde, acetone (acetalisation), and their dimethyl acetals (transacetalisation) to mixtures of [1,3]dioxan-5-ols and [1, 3]dioxolan-4-yl-methanols was investigated. Various solid acids were evaluated as heterogeneous catalysts for the desired glycerol conversion into these potential novel platform chemicals. [1, 3]dioxan-5-ols are of particular interest as precursors for 1, 3-propanediol derivatives. Therefore, the reported investigations were focused on the identification of reaction conditions that promote the formation of [1, 3]dioxan-5-ols and suppress the formation of [1, 3] dioxol an-4-yl -methanols. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.