1,4-Butanediol Introduction:

1,4-Butanediol colloquially known as BDO, is a primary alcohol and an organic compound. The formula is HOCH2CH2CH2CH2OH. 1.4-Butanediol is a colorless viscous liquid. It is one of four stable isomers of butanediol.

1.4-Butanediol (1,4-BDO) is a colorless, viscous liquid derived from butane by placement of alcohol groups at each end of its molecular chain and is one of four stable isomers of butanediol. 1,4-BDO has widespread industrial use. It is used in the production of spandex fibers, urethane elastomers, and copolyester ethers. Sizable quantities of 1,4-BD are also used to make gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), which has outlets in electronics, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals, as well as high-performance polymers. Miscellaneous uses include its use in solvents, coating resins, and as pharmaceutical intermediates.

1,4-Butanediol (BDO) is an important commodity chemical used to manufacture over 2.5 million tons of valuable polymers annually. Currently its production is entirely through petrochemistry. Unlike the other diols described here, there is no natural 1,4-BDO produced in any organism. Additionally, like many, commodity chemicals, it is highly reduced compared to carbohydrates, which makes its biosynthesis even more improbable.

1,4-Butanediol and its derivatives is used in a broad spectrum of applications in the chemical industry; amongst others in the manufacturing of technical plastics, polyurethanes, solvents, electronic chemicals and elastic fibres. The hydroxyl function of each end group of the Butanediol reacts with different mono- and bifunctional reagents:
For example with dicarboxylic acids to polyesters, with diisocyanates to polyurethanes, or with phosgene to polycarbonates.
Additionally BDO is also a building block for the synthesis of polyesterpolyols and polyetherpolyols.