1.4-Butanediol Description:

1.4-Butanediol is a chemical. BDO is used in industry to make floor strippers, paint thinners and other solvent products. BDO is sometimes used in health products as a substitute for illegal substances such as gamma-lactone (GBL) and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). Unfortunately, 1,4-butanediol is just as dangerous as GBL and GHB.

BDO has been used for muscle strength, obesity, insomnia, and to increase growth hormone production, but there is no good scientific evidence to support any use.

BDO Chemical Properties:

1,4-Butanediol is a colorless, viscous liquid obtained from butane by placing alcohol groups at the ends of its molecular chain, one of the four stable isomers of butanediol. The hydroxyl group of each end group of butanediol can react with different mono- and bi-functional reagents: for example, with dicarboxylic acid to form polyesters, with diisocyanate to form polyurethane, or with phosgene to form polycarbonate. 1.4-Butanediol (BDO) is a high-quality intermediate. BDO and its derivatives are widely used in the production of plastics, solvents, electronic chemicals and elastic fibers. In addition, BDO is also a component in the synthesis of polyester polyols and polyether polyols.

BDO Uses:

Butylene glycol and its derivatives have a wide range of applications in the chemical industry; these include the manufacture of technical plastics, polyurethanes, solvents, electronic chemicals and elastic fibers.
1,4-Butanediol is used in the synthesis of epothilone, a new class of cancer drugs. BDO is also used in the stereoselective synthesis of (-)-brevamide.
The largest use of 1,4-butanediol is within the production of tetrahydrofuran (THF) for the manufacture of polytetramethylene ether diols, mainly into spandex fibers, polyurethane elastomers and copolyester ethers.
In the chemical industry, BDO is commonly used as a solvent to make gamma-butyrolactone and elastic fibers such as spandex.
1,4-Butanediol is also used as a plasticizer (e.g. in polyesters and cellulose), as a carrier solvent for printing inks, as a cleaner, as an adhesive (in leather, plastics, polyester laminates and polyurethane shoes), as an agricultural and veterinary chemical and as a coating (in paints, varnishes and films).