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185914

Sigma-Aldrich

Furfural

99%

Synonym(s):

2-Furaldehyde, Furan-2-carboxaldehyde

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About This Item

Empirical Formula (Hill Notation):
C5H4O2
CAS Number:
Molecular Weight:
96.08
Beilstein:
105755
EC Number:
MDL number:
UNSPSC Code:
12352100
eCl@ss:
39150703
PubChem Substance ID:
NACRES:
NA.21

vapor density

3.31 (vs air)

Quality Level

vapor pressure

13.5 mmHg ( 55 °C)

Assay

99%

form

liquid

autoignition temp.

599 °F

expl. lim.

19.3 %

refractive index

n20/D 1.525 (lit.)

bp

162 °C (lit.)

mp

−36 °C (lit.)

density

1.16 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.)

functional group

aldehyde

SMILES string

[H]C(=O)c1ccco1

InChI

1S/C5H4O2/c6-4-5-2-1-3-7-5/h1-4H

InChI key

HYBBIBNJHNGZAN-UHFFFAOYSA-N

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General description

Furfural is a heterocyclic aldehyde. It can be produced from agricultural raw materials containing pentosans and lignocellulosic feedstock. It is also obtained from xylose, via dehydration. Furan has various interesting properties, such as it thermosets easily, has physical strength and exhibits resistance to corrosion. It is a raw material for the production of various furan-based chemicals and solvents such as:
  • methylfuran
  • furfuryl alcohol
  • tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol
  • tetrahydrofuran
  • methyltetrahydrofuran
  • dihydropyran
  • furoic acid

Application

Furfural has been employed as a standard for the HPLC quantification of furfural in the autohydrolysate liquor obtained from microwave-irradiated maize bran. It may be used in the preparation of γ-valerolactone (GVL) and biofuel 2-methylfuran (51% yield).
Furfural undergoes hydrogenation in the vapor-phase over copper-containing catalysts to form furfuryl alcohol as the predominant product. It may also be used to prepare gel precursors for phenol-furfural aerogels.

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Classifications

Acute Tox. 2 Inhalation - Acute Tox. 3 Oral - Acute Tox. 4 Dermal - Aquatic Chronic 3 - Carc. 2 - Eye Irrit. 2 - Flam. Liq. 3 - Skin Irrit. 2 - STOT SE 3

Target Organs

Respiratory system

Storage Class Code

3 - Flammable liquids

WGK

WGK 2

Flash Point(F)

136.4 °F - closed cup

Flash Point(C)

58 °C - closed cup

Personal Protective Equipment

dust mask type N95 (US), Eyeshields, Gloves

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Hydrogenation of furfural over copper-containing catalysts.
Seo G and Chon H.
J. Catal., 67(2), 424-429 (1981)
Synthesis of organic and carbon aerogels from phenol-furfural by two-step polymerization.
Wu D and Fu R.
Microporous and Mesoporous Materials : The Official Journal of the International Zeolite Association, 96(1), 115-120 (2006)
Inhibition effects of furfural on aerobic batch cultivation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae growing on ethanol and/or acetic acid.
Taherzadeh MJ, et al.
Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 90(4), 374-380 (2000)
Production of feruloylated arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides from maize (Zea mays) bran by microwave-assisted autohydrolysis.
Rose DJ and Inglett GE.
Food Chemistry, 119(4), 1613-1618 (2010)
Domino reaction catalyzed by zeolites with Brønsted and Lewis acid sites for the production of γ-valerolactone from furfural.
Linh Bui et al.
Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English), 52(31), 8022-8025 (2013-06-13)

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