A process and materials method for making a glucose tetraester may include reacting glucose with a carboxylic acid to create a glucose pentaester. The glucose pentaester was reacted with a basic reagent to create a glucose tetraester. Glucose was reacted with a carboxylic acid anhydride in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine to create a glucose pentaester product. The glucose pentaester reaction product was separated. The glucose pentaester reaction product was reacted with a basic reagent, wherein the reaction steps may take place at a temperature of about 0° C. to about 60° C. and about ambient pressure, wherein the ratio of the carboxylic acid to the glucose was from about 5:1 to about 50:1, and wherein the ratio of the glucose pentaester to the basic reagent was from about 1:50 to about 1:150.