Tetrahydrofuran
What Is Tetrahydrofuran?
Tetrahydrofuran, or THF, is a colorless liquid and a moderate polar aprotic solvent. It’s considered a heterocyclic compound that includes oxygen. This oxygen atom can accept hydrogen bonding, making the compound very water soluble.
THF can dissolve many organic compounds. It also has a low boiling point and will easily evaporate after chemical reactions.
When exposed to strong acids, THF can be polymerized into a form known as polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), which is used to make elastic fabrics.
Synonyms: THf, oxolane
Physical and Chemical Properties
| Property | Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Molecular Weight | 72.11 g/mol | ||
Density | 0.889 g/mL at 25ºC | ||
Boiling Point | 65 to 67ºC | ||
Melting Point | -108ºC | ||
Flash Point | -17.2ºC | ||
Viscosity | 0.456 at 25ºC | ||
Dielectric Constant | 7.52 at 22ºC | ||
Dipole Moment | 1.750 | ||
UV Cutoff | 220 nm | ||
Refractive Index | 1.407 at 20ºC | ||
Vapor Pressure | 143 mm Hg (20°C) | ||
Vapor Density | 2.5 (vs. air) | ||
Water Solubility | > 100 mg/mL at 68°F | ||
Heat of Combustion | -348.8 x 105 J/kg | ||
Heat of Vaporization | 4.1 x 105 J/kg | ||
Surface Tension | 26.4 dyn/cm at 25°C |
How Is Tetrahydrofuran Used?
Tetrahydrofuran is often used for small-scale laboratory experiments. It’s considered a chemical intermediate and industrial solvent. THF is a critical component of inks for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics, coatings, and castings, as well as cellophane coatings.
Designations and Grades
| Property | Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
CAS Number | 109-99-9 | ||
MDL Number | MFCD00005356 | ||
RIDAD/UN Number | UN 2056 | ||
Beilstein Registry | 02391 | ||
EG/EC Number | 2037268 | ||
NSC Number | 57858 | ||
ICSC Number | 0578 | ||
RTECS Number | LU5950000 |
Grades
ACS/ACS Reagent/Certified ACS
Anhydrous/Dry/Extra Dry
Biochemical
Histological
HPLC/UHPLC
Laboratory/Technical
NF/USP
Sequencing
Spectrophotometry
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