Tetrahydrofuran

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Structural formula
Structural formula of tetrahydrofuran
General
Surname Tetrahydrofuran
other names
  • Oxolane ( IUPAC )
  • Tetramethylene oxide
  • 1,4-epoxybutane
  • Oxacyclopentane
  • THF
Molecular formula C 4 H 8 O
Brief description

colorless, ethereal-smelling liquid

External identifiers / databases
CAS number 109-99-9
EC number 203-726-8
ECHA InfoCard 100.003.389
PubChem 8028
Wikidata Q278332
properties
Molar mass 72.11 g mol −1
Physical state

liquid

density

0.8892 g cm −3 (20 ° C)

Melting point

−108.39 ° C

boiling point

65.81 ° C

Vapor pressure
  • 173 h Pa (20 ° C)
  • 268 hPa (30 ° C)
  • 402 hPa (40 ° C)
  • 586 hPa (50 ° C)
solubility

miscible with water, ethanol , acetone and diethyl ether

Dipole moment

1.63 D

Refractive index

1.4070

safety instructions
GHS hazard labeling from  Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 (CLP) , expanded if necessary
02 - Highly / extremely flammable 07 - Warning 08 - Dangerous to health

danger

H and P phrases H: 225-302-319-335-351
EUH: 019
P: 210-280-301 + 312 + 330-305 + 351 + 338-370 + 378-403 + 235
MAK

DFG / Switzerland: 50 ml m −3 or 150 mg m −3

Toxicological data

1650 mg kg −1 ( LD 50ratoral )

As far as possible and customary, SI units are used. Unless otherwise noted, the data given apply to standard conditions . Refractive index: Na-D line , 20 ° C

Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is an organic solvent and belongs to the class of ( cyclic ) ethers .

Presentation and extraction

There are various production processes for the manufacture of tetrahydrofuran. The most frequently used process is the Reppe process , which was developed in the 1930s . Starting from acetylene 1 and formaldehyde , 2-butyne-1,4-diol ( 2 ) is initially formed. After its hydrogenation to 1,4-butanediol ( 3 ), the THF 4 is obtained by an acid-catalyzed cyclization .

Synthesis of tetrahydrofuran

Another production process starts from 1,3-butadiene ( 5 ). This is oxidatively at 80 ° C and 3 MPa with acetic acid over a palladium - tellurium - catalyst to 2-butene-1,4-diol diacetate ( 6 implemented). After hydrogenation to 1,4-butanediol diacetate ( 7 ) and targeted hydrolysis of the ester 8 , the THF 4 is formed. Alternatively, the process can lead to 1,4-butanediol as the end product.

Synthesis of tetrahydrofuran 2

THF can also be obtained by hydrogenating furan . A more recent synthesis is based on the gas phase hydrogenation of maleic acid dimethyl ester . A reaction sequence runs through the intermediate stages dimethyl succinate , γ-butyrolactone and 1,4-butanediol .

properties

Physical Properties

Fig. 1: Binary vapor-liquid equilibrium of THF with water
Fig. 2: Binary vapor-liquid equilibria of THF with methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol and 2-propanol
Fig. 3: Excess volumes of THF / water mixtures
Fig. 5: Temperature dependence of the heat of
vaporization of THF

Tetrahydrofuran is a colorless, flammable liquid with an ethereal odor. It is fully miscible with water up to a temperature of 71.8 ° C, above this temperature a small forms a miscibility gap , which joins at 137.1 ° C again. Mixing with water takes place with a contraction in volume . THF is infinitely miscible with alcohols, ketones and ethers.

With a water content of 19.9 mol%, an azeotropic boiling point of 63.8 ° C. is observed at atmospheric pressure . In the case of alcohols, azeotropic phase diagrams are only observed with methanol and ethanol at atmospheric pressure. The phase diagrams with higher alcohols such as 1-propanol and 2-propanol are zeotropic . The azeotropic boiling points at atmospheric pressure are 60.7 ° C. for methanol with a THF content of 49.7 mol% and 65.7 ° C. for ethanol with a THF content of 85 mol%. These azeotropes are clearly pressure-dependent and disappear for ethanol at lower pressures. Further azeotropes are made with the solvents n-hexane at 63 ° C. with a THF content of 50% by mass , with cyclohexane at 60 ° C. with a THF content of 97% by mass and with acetone at 64 ° C. with a THF content formed by 8 Ma%.

The vapor pressure curve (Fig. 4) can be calculated in the temperature range from 296 K to 373 K with the Antoine equation as log 10 ( p ) = A - ( B / ( T + C )) ( p in bar, T in K) Describe A = 4.12118, B = 1202.942 and C = −46.818.

The temperature dependency of the enthalpy of vaporization (Fig. 5) results from the equation Δ V H 0 = A exp (−β T r ) (1 − T r ) βV H 0 in kJ / mol, T r = ( T / T c ) reduced temperature) with A = 46.11 kJ / mol, β = 0.2699 and T c = 540.2 K in the temperature range between 302 K and 339 K.

The most important thermodynamic properties are listed in the following table:

property Formula symbol Value (remark)
Standard enthalpy of formation Δ f H 0 (g) −184.2 kJ mol −1
Standard entropy S 0 (l)
S 0 (g)
203.9 J mol −1 K −1 (liquid)
301.7 J mol −1 K −1 (gas)
Enthalpy of combustion Δ c H 0 (l) −2505.8 kJ mol −1
Heat capacity c p 124.1 J mol −1 K −1 (as a liquid at 25 ° C)
1.72 J g −1 K −1 (as a liquid at 25 ° C)
Enthalpy of fusion Δ f H 0 8.540 kJ mol −1 (at the melting point)
Entropy of fusion Δ f S 0 51.8 kJ mol −1 (at the melting point)
Enthalpy of evaporation Δ v H 0 29.8 kJ mol −1 (at normal pressure boiling point)
Triple point T triple
p triple
164.76 K
101.33 kPa
Critical temperature T c 268 ° C
Critical pressure p c 51.9 bar
Critical volume V c 0.225 l mol −1
Acentric factor ω c 0.22535

Tetrahydrofuran forms a solid hydrate with water with the composition THF · 16.9H 2 O, which melts at 5 ° C.

Safety-related parameters

Tetrahydrofuran forms highly flammable vapor-air mixtures. The compound has a flash point of −20 ° C. The explosion range is between 1.5% by volume (46 g / m 3 ) as the lower explosion limit (LEL) and 12.4% by volume (370 g / m 3 ) as the upper explosion limit (UEL). A correlation of the explosion limits with the vapor pressure function results in a lower explosion point of −23 ° C and an upper explosion point of 13 ° C. The limit gap width was determined to be 0.83 mm. This results in an assignment to explosion group IIB. With a minimum ignition energy of 0.54 mJ, the tetrahydrofuran vapor-air mixtures are extremely ignitable. The ignition temperature is 230 ° C. The substance therefore falls into temperature class T3. The electrical conductivity is rather low at 4.6 · 10 −8 S · m −1 .

According to the dangerous goods regulations , tetrahydrofuran is assigned to class 3 (flammable liquids) with packaging group II (medium hazard) (label: 3).

Chemical properties

Like many ethers, THF also forms a peroxide through autoxidation when left to stand in air for a long time and when exposed to light . This can remain as a highly explosive residue when the THF is distilled off. It is therefore advisable to carry out a peroxide test before each distillation of THF . THF mixed with peroxide should be disposed of for safety reasons.

Peroxide formation with THF

When heated in the presence of hydrochloric acid , the ether is easily cleaved with formation of 4-chlorobutanol and later 1,4-dichlorobutane .

Cleavage of THF to 1,4-dichlorobutane

use

Tetrahydrofuran is used as a solvent for PVC , polystyrene , polyurethanes , cellulose nitrate , adhesives and paints ; it is an intermediate in the manufacture of polyamides , polyester and polyurethane, and it is used to produce tetrahydrothiophene and pyrrolidine . It is an important precursor for polytetrahydrofuran . Due to its donor effect , it is used as a solvent in numerous organic reactions .

In addition to diethyl ether , tetrahydrofuran is one of the most important solvents for reactions with basic and neutral reactants , as it has good dissolving properties and is largely inert. In reactions with strongly ( Lewis ) acidic reactants, one must expect ether cleavage. Tetrahydrofuran often forms acid-base adducts with weaker (Lewis) acidic reactants.

A related cyclic ether is 1,4-dioxane .

Risk assessment

Tetrahydrofuran was included in the EU's ongoing action plan ( CoRAP ) in 2012 in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH) as part of substance evaluation . The effects of the substance on human health and the environment are re-evaluated and, if necessary, follow-up measures are initiated. Tetrahydrofuran uptake was caused by concerns about its classification as a CMR substance, consumer use , worker exposure , high (aggregated) tonnage and widespread use. The reassessment took place from 2013 and was carried out by Germany . A final report was then published.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified tetrahydrofuran as possibly carcinogenic in 2017.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d e f g h i j k l m Entry on tetrahydrofuran in the GESTIS substance database of the IFA , accessed on July 31, 2017(JavaScript required) .
  2. a b The Merck Index . An Encyclopaedia of Chemicals, Drugs and Biologicals. 14th edition. 2006, ISBN 0-911910-00-X , p. 1585.
  3. a b c d e f B. V. Lebedev, IB Rabinovich, VI Milov, V. Ya. Lityagov: Thermodynamic properties of tetrahydrofuran from 8 to 322 K. In: J. Chem. Thermodyn. 10 (4), 1978, pp. 321-329. doi: 10.1016 / 0021-9614 (78) 90064-2 .
  4. a b c d Yoshio Yoshikawa, Akira Takagi, Masahiro Kato: Indirect Determination of Vapor-Liquid Equilibria by a Small Ebulliometer. Tetrahydrofuran-Alcohol Binary Systems. In: J. Chem. Eng. Data . 25 (4), 1980, pp. 344-346. doi: 10.1021 / je60087a017 .
  5. a b c Entry on tetrahydrofuran. In: Römpp Online . Georg Thieme Verlag, accessed on September 29, 2014.
  6. Entry on tetrahydrofuran in the Classification and Labeling Inventory of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), accessed on February 1, 2016. Manufacturers or distributors can expand the harmonized classification and labeling .
  7. Schweizerische Unfallversicherungsanstalt (Suva): Limits - Current MAK and BAT values (search for 109-99-9 or tetrahydrofuran ), accessed on November 2, 2015.
  8. a b c H. Müller .: Tetrahydrofuran. In: Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Technical Chemistry . Wiley-VCH Verlag, Weinheim 2005. doi : 10.1002 / 14356007.a26_221
  9. T. Onoda: US 3,922,300, 1975 (Mitsubishi Chem.).
  10. Yoshinao Nakagawa, Keiichi Tomishige: Total hydrogenation of furan derivatives over silica-supported Ni-Pd alloy catalyst. In: Catalytic Comm. 12, 2010, pp. 154-156. doi: 10.1016 / j.catcom.2010.09.003 .
  11. D. Starr, RM Hixon: Tetrahydrofuran In: Organic Syntheses . 16, 1936, p. 77, doi : 10.15227 / orgsyn.016.0077 ; Coll. Vol. 2, 1943, p. 566 ( PDF ).
  12. ^ Bourguignon: In: Chem. Zentralblatt. 1908, I, 1630.
  13. S. Marz, SP Müller, B. Kraushaar-Czarnetzki: Process intensification in the gas phase conversion of dimethyl maleate to tetrahydrofuran. In: Chem. Ing. Techn. 85, 2013, pp. 535-539. doi: 10.1002 / cite.201200230 .
  14. J. Matous, J. Hrancirik, JP Novak, J. Sobr: Liquid-liquid equilibrium in the system water-tetrahydrofuran. In: Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 35, 1970, pp. 1904-1905. doi: 10.1135 / cccc19701904 .
  15. J. Matous, JP Novak, J. Sobr, J. Pick: Liquid-liquid equilibrium in the system water-tetrahydrofuran (2). In: Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 37, 1972, pp. 2653-2663. doi: 10.1135 / cccc19722653 .
  16. Dortmund database .
  17. W. Hayduk, H. Laudie, OH Smith: Viscosity, freezing point, vapor-liquid equilibriums, and other properties of wässrige-tetrahydrofuran solutions. In: J. Chem. Eng. Data . 18 (4), 1973, pp. 373-376. doi: 10.1021 / je60059a027 .
  18. E. Brunner, AGR Scholz: Isobaric vapor-liquid equilibria of the tetrahydrofuran / ethanol system at 25, 50, and 100 kPa. In: J. Chem. Eng. Data 29 (1), 1984, pp. 28-31. doi: 10.1021 / je00035a011 .
  19. ^ IM Smallwood: Handbook of Organic Solvent Properties. Arnold, London 1996, ISBN 0-340-64578-4 , p. 217.
  20. ^ DW Scott: Tetrahydrofuran: vibrational assignment, chemical thermodynamic properties, and vapor pressure. In: J. Chem. Thermodyn. 2 (6), 1970, pp. 833-837. doi: 10.1016 / 0021-9614 (70) 90026-1 .
  21. ^ A b V. Majer, V. Svoboda: Enthalpies of Vaporization of Organic Compounds: A Critical Review and Data Compilation. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford 1985, p. 300.
  22. ^ AS Pell, G. Pilcher: Measurements of heats of combustion by flame calorimetry. Part 3.-Ethylene oxide, trimethylene oxide, tetrahydrofuran and tetrahydropy. In: Trans. Faraday Soc. 61, 1965, pp. 71-77. doi: 10.1039 / TF9656100071 .
  23. ^ GA Clegg: Thermodynamics of Polymerization of Heterocyclic Compounds. II. The heat capacity, entropy, enthalpy and free energy of polytetrahydrofuran. In: polymer . 9, 1968, pp. 501-511. doi: 10.1016 / 0032-3861 (68) 90060-8 .
  24. RC Cass, SE Fletcher, CT Mortimer, HD Springall, TR White: Heats of combustion and molecular structure. Part V. The mean bond energy term for the CO bond in ethers, and the structures of some cyclic ethers. In: J. Chem. Soc. 1958, pp. 1406-1410. doi: 10.1039 / JR9580001406 .
  25. a b M. Costas, D. Patterson: Heat capacities of water + organic solvent mixtures. In: J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans. 1 . 81, 1965, pp. 2381-2398. doi: 10.1039 / F19858102381 .
  26. a b c K. A. Kobe, AE Ravicz, SP Vohra: Critical Properties and Vapor Pressures of Some Ethers and Heterocyclic Compounds. In: J. Chem. Eng. Data . 1 (1), 1956, pp. 50-56. doi: 10.1021 / i460001a010 .
  27. J. Schmidt: Design of safety valves for multi-purpose systems according to ISO 4126-10. In: Chem. Ing. Techn. 83, 2011, pp. 796-812. doi: 10.1002 / cite.201000202 .
  28. DG Leaist, JJ Murray, ML Post, DW Davidson: Enthalpies of decomposition and Heat Capacities of ethylene oxide and tetrahydrofuran hydrate. In: J. Phys. Chem. 86, 1982, pp. 4175-4178, doi: 10.1021 / j100218a017 .
  29. JB Fenn: Lean flammability limit and minimum spark ignition energy. In: Ind. Eng. Chem. 43, 1951, pp. 2865-2869.
  30. HF Calcote, CA Gregory, CM Barnett, RB Gilmer: Spark Ignition - Effect of Molecular Structure. In: Ind. Eng. Chem. 44, 1952, pp. 2656-2662.
  31. E. Brandes, W. Möller: Safety-related parameters. Volume 1: Flammable Liquids and Gases. Wirtschaftsverlag NW - Verlag für neue Wissenschaft, Bremerhaven 2003.
  32. Technical rule for hazardous substances TRGS 727, BG RCI leaflet T033 Avoidance of ignition hazards due to electrostatic charges , status August 2016, Jedermann-Verlag Heidelberg, ISBN 978-3-86825-103-6 .
  33. ^ Author collective: Organikum . 22nd edition. Wiley-VCH, 2004, ISBN 3-527-31148-3 .
  34. European Chemicals Agency (ECHA): Substance Evaluation Conclusion and Evaluation Report .
  35. Community rolling action plan ( CoRAP ) of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA): Tetrahydrofuran , accessed on March 26, 2019.
  36. Yann Grosse, Dana Loomis, Kathryn Z Guyton, Fatiha El Ghissassi, Véronique Bouvard, Lamia Benbrahim-Tallaa, Heidi Mattock, Kurt Straif: Some chemicals that cause tumors of the urinary tract in rodents. In: The Lancet Oncology . 18, 2017, pp. 1003-1004. doi: 10.1016 / S1470-2045 (17) 30505-3 .