The invention relates to a method comprising at least the following steps: a) glycerin is dehydrated so as to obtain a dehydrated product containing acrolein; b) the dehydrated product is subjected to gas phase oxidation so as to obtain a monomer gas containing acrylic acid; c) the monomer gas is contacted with a quenching agent so as to obtain a quench phase containing acrylic acid; d) the quench phase is reprocessed so as to obtain a monomer phase containing acrylic acid. A liquid phase (a1) and a gas phase (a2) are provided during the dehydration process, a plurality of gas bubbles being produced in the liquid phase (a1). The invention further relates to a method for producing polymers by polymerizing acrylic acid, preferably for producing water-absorbing polymers, the water-absorbing polymers obtained by means of said method, a compound, a method for producing a compound, the compound obtained by means of said method, and other chemical products.