Tetrahydrofuran Description:

Tetrahydrofuran is a colorless and transparent liquid with an ether-like odor. THF can be miscible with water. Miscible with water can dissolve alkaloids such as cellulose acetate and caffeine, and the dissolution performance is better than that of tetrahydrofuran alone. General organic solvents such as ethanol, ether, aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, etc. can be well dissolved in tetrahydrofuran. Oxidation in air easily produces explosive peroxides. THF has no corrosive effect on metals and has an erosive effect on many plastics and rubbers. Because of its low boiling and flash points, Tetrahydrofuran is prone to fire at room temperature. When stored, oxygen in the air can produce explosive peroxides with tetrahydrofuran. Peroxides form more easily in the presence of light and in the absence of water. Therefore, reducing substances such as 0.05%~1% hydroquinone, resorcinol, p-cresol or ferrous salts are often added as antioxidants to inhibit the generation of peroxides. The toxicity of this product is low, and the operator should wear protective equipment.

Tetrahydrofuran Chemical properties:

Generates explosive peroxides in air due to autoxidation. On oxidation with nitric acid, succinic acid is produced. Under the catalytic action of alumina, THF reacts with ammonia at 300~400℃ to obtain pyrrolidine; and with hydrogen sulfide at 400℃ to obtain tetrahydrothiophene. In the presence of zinc chloride, the ring is easily opened in the presence of acid or chlorine to form 1,4-butanediol, 1,4-diazide. Chlorination under the influence of light at room temperature produces 2,3-dichlorotetrahydrofuran. The chlorine atom in its second position is very active and can be directly substituted by alkoxy, acetate or alkyl groups of the Grignard reagent. Using acid phosphate as a catalyst, THF is dehydrated at 270°C to produce butadiene. On heating, the tetrahydrofuran interacts with hydrogen chloride gas to rearrange to 4-chlorobutanol. In the presence of aluminum trichloride, THF interacts with lithium aluminum hydride to quantitatively produce butanol.