The acetalization of 2,3-butanediol with bio-derived C<
sub>
4?8<
/sub>
aldehydes has yielded a route to substituted 1,3-dioxolanes from small bio-building blocks. The reported reaction system features excellent carbon yields (>
93%), atom economy (>
89%) and phase separation of the analytically pure product which eliminates elaborate purification processes and facilitates simple catalyst recycling. Finally, the 1,3-dioxolanes offer performance advantages over traditional diesel and have the potential to augment petroleum derived fuels.