Furfural

Common Name Furfural
Other Names α-Furaldehyde | Artificial Ant Oil | Furaldehyde | Oxolecarboxaldehyde | 2-Furaldehyde
English Name Furfural
CAS Number 98-01-1
EINECS 202-627-7
Molecular Formula C5H4O2
Molecular Weight 96.084
Density 1.1±0.1 g/cm³
Boiling Point 161.8±0.0 °C
Melting Point −36 °C
Flash Point 58.3±0.0 °C
Appearance Colorless to yellow oily liquid with an almond-like odor.
Solubility Slightly soluble in cold water, soluble in hot water, ethanol, benzene
Uses
1. Used as a raw material in organic synthesis, also for synthetic resins, varnishes, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, rubber, and coatings, etc.
2. Mainly used as an industrial solvent for producing furfuryl alcohol, furoic acid, tetrahydrofuran, γ-valerolactone, pyrrole, tetrahydropyrrole, etc.
3. Used as an analytical reagent.
4. Used in tanning leather. Should be stored in a cool, ventilated warehouse, protected from light, avoiding direct sunlight, and kept away from fire sources.
5. Food flavoring; extraction solvent. Mainly used in formulating various heat-processed flavors, such as bread, butterscotch, coffee, etc.
6. Furfural is a raw material for the preparation of many pharmaceuticals and industrial products. Furan can be electrolytically reduced to produce succinaldehyde, which is a raw material for the production of the drug atropine. Some derivatives of furfural have strong antibacterial activity with a broad spectrum. For example, furfural is converted to 5-nitrofurfural, which then condenses with semicarbazide hydrochloride to form nitrofurazone, an antiseptic. Furfural is an intermediate for furanacrylic acid, furfurylamine fumarate, adipic acid, furfuryl alcohol, etc., widely used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, veterinary drugs, dyes, fragrances, rubber additives, preservatives, and other fine chemicals. The largest consumption of furfural is as a solvent and raw material for synthetic resins. In synthetic resins, it can produce furan resins, furfural resins, and furanone resins. Furan resins, also called furfuryl alcohol resins, are produced by hydrogenating furfural under high pressure to form furfuryl alcohol, which is then polymerized. These resins have strong alkali resistance, high heat resistance, and water resistance, and can be used as grouting resin cement, anti-corrosion linings, and adhesives. As a solvent, furfural selectively extracts unsaturated components from petroleum and vegetable oils. It is used to extract aromatic components from lubricating oils and diesel to improve product quality. In synthetic rubber production, furfural is used to extract and purify butadiene and isoprene.
7. Used for the determination of cobalt and sulfate. Reagent for the determination of aromatic amines, acetone, alkaloids, vegetable oils, and cholesterol. Standard for the determination of pentose and polypentose. Synthetic resin, purification of organic compounds, nitrocellulose solvent, dichloroethane extraction solvent.