Page last updated: 2024-11-05

tetrahydrofuran

Description Research Excerpts Clinical Trials Roles Classes Pathways Study Profile Bioassays Related Drugs Related Conditions Protein Interactions Research Growth Market Indicators

Description

Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is a colorless, volatile, highly flammable organic compound with the formula (CH2)4O. It is a heterocyclic organic compound, consisting of a saturated five-membered ring containing four carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. THF is a common solvent, as it readily dissolves a wide range of non-polar and polar compounds. It is used in a variety of applications, including as a solvent in chemical reactions, as a component of polymer formulations, and as an intermediate in the production of other chemicals. THF is produced industrially by the catalytic hydrogenation of furan, which is obtained from biomass resources like agricultural residues. The high dielectric constant and polarity of THF, together with its ability to hydrogen bond, make it a suitable solvent for a wide range of reactions and processes. THF is also an important precursor for a variety of polymers and other organic chemicals. The chemical and physical properties of THF, its wide range of applications, and its availability make it a valuable and versatile chemical. Researchers study THF due to its important role in various chemical reactions, its use in polymer synthesis, and its potential applications in various fields. Its properties and applications are studied to better understand its behavior and to explore new possibilities for its use.'

oxolane : A cyclic ether that is butane in which one hydrogen from each methyl group is substituted by an oxygen. [Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI), Hastings J, Owen G, Dekker A, Ennis M, Kale N, Muthukrishnan V, Turner S, Swainston N, Mendes P, Steinbeck C. (2016). ChEBI in 2016: Improved services and an expanding collection of metabolites. Nucleic Acids Res]

Cross-References

ID SourceID
PubMed CID8028
CHEMBL ID276521
CHEBI ID26911
MeSH IDM0070433

Synonyms (156)

Synonym
24979-97-3
butylene oxide
cyclotetramethylene
diethylene oxide 1,4-epoxybutane
C0019
furanidine
hydrofuran
tetrahydrofuraan
cyclotetramethylene oxide
butane,4-epoxy-
nsc-57858
tetraidrofurano
nsc57858
oxolane
oxacyclopentane
wln: t5otj
tetramethylene oxide
butane .alpha.,.delta.-oxide
tetrahydrofuranne
butane alpha,delta-oxide
CHEBI:26911 ,
1,4-epoxybutane
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous, >=99.9%, inhibitor-free
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous, contains 250 ppm bht as inhibitor, >=99.9%
inchi=1/c4h8o/c1-2-4-5-3-1/h1-4h
furan, tetrahydro-
109-99-9
tetrahydrofuran
NCGC00090740-01
einecs 203-726-8
nsc 57858
un2056
butane, 1,4-epoxy-
tetrahydrofuraan [dutch]
rcra waste number u213
ai3-07570
ccris 6276
hsdb 125
tetraidrofurano [italian]
agrisynth thf
rcra waste no. u213
butane, alpha,delta-oxide
nci-c60560
tetrahydrofuranne [french]
THF ,
tetrahydrofuran, absolute, over molecular sieve (h2o <=0.005%), contains ~0.025% 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol as stabilizer, >=99.5% (gc)
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous, >=99.9%, contains 250 ppm bht as inhibitor
tetrahydrofuran, puriss. p.a., >=99.9% (gc)
tetrahydrofuran, spectrophotometric grade, >=99.5%, inhibitor-free
T2394
CHEMBL276521
tetrahydro-furan
T0104
T0856
AKOS000119982
A802124
NCGC00090740-02
ec 203-726-8
tetrahydrofuran [un2056] [flammable liquid]
3n8fzz6py4 ,
unii-3n8fzz6py4
cas-109-99-9
NCGC00258579-01
dtxcid501328
dtxsid1021328 ,
tox21_201026
tetrahydrofurane
tetrahydrofuran, 99%
FT-0645046
STL264218
tetrahydrofuran [hsdb]
tetrahydrofuran [mi]
tetrahydrofuran [usp-rs]
tetrahydrofuran [iarc]
tetrahydrofuran(stabilized)
terahydrofurane
tetra hydro-furan
tetraliydrofuran
tetra hydrofuran
tetrahydro-furane
tet-rahydrofurane
tetrahydrofura n
terahydrofuran
tetrahydrof uran
tetrahydorfuran
tetra-hydrofuran
terahyrofuran
tetrahydrofuran-
tetrahydrofurane-
tetrahyrdofuran
tetrahydro furane
tetrahydofuran
tetra-hydrofurane
tetrahydro- furan
tetrahyrofuran
tetrahydrofu ran
tetrahydro furan
tetra- hydrofuran
tetrahydofurane
dynasolve 150
thf (tetrahydrofuran)
un 2056
BP-30232
FT-0696552
mfcd00005356
tetrahydrofuran, biograde
tetrahydrofuran, uv, hplc grade
tetrahydrofuran, spectrophotometric grade
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous
J-002358
tetrahydrofuran acs
tetrahydrofuran hplc grade stabilized with bht
tetrahydrofuran, for luminescence, >=99.5% (gc)
tetrahydrofuran, for amino acid analysis, without stabilizer
tetrahydrofuran, selectophore(tm), >=99.5%
tetrahydrofuran, purum, >=99.0% (gc)
tetrahydrofuran, analytical standard
tetrahydrofuran, acs reagent, >=99.0%, contains 250 ppm bht as inhibitor
tetrahydrofuran, contains 250 ppm bht as inhibitor, puriss. p.a., acs reagent, reag. ph. eur., >=99.9%
tetrahydrofuran, for hplc, >=99.9%, inhibitor-free
tetrahydrofuran, >=99.5%
tetrahydrofuran, biotech. grade, >=99.9%, inhibitor-free
tetrahydrofuran, inhibitor-free, purification grade
tetrahydrofuran, inhibitor-free, for hplc, >=99.9%
tetrahydrofuran, jis special grade, >=99.5%
tetrahydrofuran, reagentplus(r), >=99.0%, contains 250 ppm bht as inhibitor
tetrahydrofuran, for hplc, contains no stabilizer
tetrahydrofuran, hplc grade, >=99.9%, inhibitor-free
tetrahydrofuran, saj first grade, >=99.0%
tetrahydrofuran, contains 250 ppm bht as inhibitor, acs reagent, >=99.0%
tetrahydrofuran, for hplc, >=99.9%
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous, inhibitor-free, zero2(tm), >=99.9%
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous stabilized, max. water 20ppm
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous, contains 250 ppm bht as stabilizer, >=99.5%
tetrahydrofuran, vetec(tm) reagent grade, anhydrous, contains 100 ppm bht as inhibitor, >=99.8%
tetrahydrofuran, lr, contains 250 ppm bht as stabilizer, >=99%
tetrahydrofuran, p.a., 99%, contains 200-300 ppm bht
tetrahydrofuran, acs reagent
tetrahydrofuran, hplc, uv-ir, isocratic grade, unstabilized
tetrahydrofuran, uv hplc spectroscopic, 99.8%, contains 200-300 ppm bht
tetrahydrofuran, pharmaceutical secondary standard; certified reference material
tetrahydrofuran, p.a., 99%
tetrahydrofuran, ar, contains 250 ppm bht as stabilizer, 99.5%
butane a,d-oxide
1,4-epoxy-butane
tetrahydrofuran, non-uv, hplc grade stabilized with bht
tetrahydrofuran, inhibitor-free, for hplc, =99.9%
Q278332
AMY11079
tetrahydrofuran ultra lc-ms
tetrahydrofuran solvent
tetrahy-drofuran
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous stabilized, max. water 25ppm
tetrahydrofuran, hplc grade stabilized with bht
tetrahydrofuran, anhydrous, inhibitor free
EN300-21322

Research Excerpts

Overview

Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is a common highly toxic cyclic aliphatic ether that frequently exists in waste gases. It is a selective solvent for both the poly(ethylethylene) and poly(ethylene oxide) blocks. Tetrahydrafuran is an important solvent with wide usage in industry and laboratory research work.

ExcerptReferenceRelevance
"Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is a common highly toxic cyclic aliphatic ether that frequently exists in waste gases. "( Removal of gaseous tetrahydrofuran via a three-phase airlift bioreactor loaded with immobilized cells of GFP-tagged Pseudomonas oleovorans GDT4.
Chen, DZ; Chen, J; Cheng, ZW; Ruan, JW; Ye, JX, 2020
)
2.33
"Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is a major structural feature found in many synthetic and natural products displaying a variety of biological properties. "( Debenzylative Cycloetherification: An Overlooked Key Strategy for Complex Tetrahydrofuran Synthesis.
Delbrouck, JA; Tikad, A; Vincent, SP, 2016
)
2.11
"Tetrahydrofuran is a selective solvent for both the poly(ethylethylene) and poly(ethylene oxide) blocks, and thus in tetrahydrofuran mixed corona micelles are favored with poly(perfluoropropylene oxide) cores."( Evolution of multicompartment micelles to mixed corona micelles using solvent mixtures.
Hillmyer, MA; Liu, C; Lodge, TP, 2008
)
1.07
"Tetrahydrofuran probably acts as a proton acceptor coadsorbent, while isopropanol behaves as a proton donor during the separation of testosterone, estradiol, and the stereoisomers of 7-OH-DHEA."( Gradient HPLC separation of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) from its metabolites and biological congeners: role of tetrahydrofuran in the chromatographic mechanism.
Gergely, A; Horváth, P; Szász, G; Veress, G, 2009
)
1.29
"Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is a toxic and carcinogenic compound that is commonly released from pharmaceutical, chemical and related industry wastewater. "( The effect of tetrahydrofuran on the enzymatic activity and microbial community in activated sludge from a sequencing batch reactor.
Gao, H; Lu, Z; Min, H; Yao, Y; Zhu, F, 2012
)
2.18
"Tetrahydrofuran is an important solvent with wide usage in industry and laboratory research work. "( Effect of tetrahydrofuran on enzyme activities in activated sludge.
Lv, Z; Min, H; Yao, Y, 2008
)
2.19
"Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is a widely used industrial solvent and was selected for carcinogenesis studies by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) because of its potential for widespread occupational exposure in humans and a lack of information on animal toxicity and carcinogenicity. "( Carcinogenesis studies of tetrahydrofuran vapors in rats and mice.
Chhabra, RS; Chou, B; Herbert, RA; Miller, RA; Renne, RA; Roycroft, JH, 1998
)
2.04
"Tetrahydrofuran (THF) is a widely used solvent in industry and research. "( The effect of tetrahydrofuran on biological systems: does a hepatotoxic potential exist?
Moody, DE, 1991
)
2.08

Effects

ExcerptReferenceRelevance
"Tetrahydrofuran (THF) has commonly been used to deliver carotenoids to cells but the use of THF is associated with cytotoxicity and low uptake efficiency of carotenoids. "( The use of fetal bovine serum as delivery vehicle to improve the uptake and stability of lycopene in cell culture studies.
Hu, ML; Huang, CS; Lin, CY, 2007
)
1.78

Toxicity

beta-carotene solubilized in tetrahydrofuran (THF) is toxic for human colonic tumor cells in vitro using media containing 10% fetal calf serum. Activated sludge is widely used to treat industrial wastewater, but its efficiency is affected by a variety of factors.

ExcerptReferenceRelevance
" Toxic symptoms appearing during the experimental period were observed."( [Experimental studies on the acute toxicity of tetrahydrofuran in animals].
Horiguchi, S; Katahira, T; Teramoto, K, 1982
)
0.52
" Exposure of cells to vitamin E did not diminish the cytotoxicity of beta-carotene, suggesting that the toxic effect of beta-carotene is not due to prooxidant activity."( In vitro beta-carotene toxicity for human colon cancer cells.
Frommel, TO; Iftikhar, S; Lietz, H; Mobarhan, S, 1996
)
0.29
"In a previous study we reported that beta-carotene solubilized in tetrahydrofuran (THF) is toxic for human colonic tumor cells in vitro using media containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS)."( Cytotoxic effect of beta-carotene in vitro is dependent on serum concentration and source.
Frommel, TO; Iftikhar, S; Lietz, H; Mobarhan, S; Peram, V, 1996
)
0.53
" Thus, the role of nC60 in the cellular responses is likely not due to the direct effect of the nC60 material surface on the cells but is related to the conversion of THF into a toxic byproduct during preparation of the suspension."( Comparative toxicity of C60 aggregates toward mammalian cells: role of tetrahydrofuran (THF) decomposition.
Auffan, M; Espinasse, B; Hotze, EM; Kovochich, M; Nel, AE; Wessel, L; Wiesner, MR; Xia, T, 2009
)
0.59
"Activated sludge is widely used to treat industrial wastewater, but its efficiency is affected by a variety of factors, including toxic substances such as tetrahydrofuran (THF)."( Assessment of toxicity of tetrahydrofuran on the microbial community in activated sludge.
Gao, H; Guan, J; Jiao, H; Lin, C; Lu, Z; Min, H; Tang, P; Wang, J; Yao, Y, 2010
)
0.86
" Yet, THF showed an intermediate cytotoxicity when compared with the other solvents, being less toxic than phosphate monomer and similar to 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate."( Tetrahydrofuran as solvent in dental adhesives: cytotoxicity and dentin bond stability.
de Carvalho, RV; de Moraes, RR; Fernández, MR; Fontes, ST; Ogliari, FA; Pinto, MB; Piva, E, 2013
)
1.83

Pharmacokinetics

ExcerptReferenceRelevance
"A seven-compartment physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed to predict biological levels of tetrahydrofuran under various exposure scenarios."( Biological monitoring of tetrahydrofuran: contribution of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model.
Berode, M; Droz, PO; Jang, JY,
)
0.64

Compound-Compound Interactions

ExcerptReferenceRelevance
"Using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMIM][PF6]) room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) as extraction solvent, tetrahydrofuran (THF) as disperser solvent, the organophosphorus pesticide dichlorvos in water was determined by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) combined with high-performance liquid chromatography."( Trace determination of dichlorvos in environmental samples by room temperature ionic liquid-based dispersive liquid-phase microextraction combined with HPLC.
Tang, Q; Wang, S; Xiang, B, 2012
)
0.58

Bioavailability

ExcerptReferenceRelevance
" The difference in octanol-water partition coefficient, log P(ow) between n-dodecane compared to tetrahydrofuran is considered to be the most likely reason for the reduction in the bioavailability of benzo(a)pyrene and/or its metabolites and hence the degree of genotoxicity in tissues."( Effects of solvent on DNA adduct formation in skin and lung of CD1 mice exposed cutaneously to benzo(a)pyrene.
Booth, ED; Loose, RW; Watson, WP, 1999
)
0.52
"05) compared with crystalline atorvastatin, suggesting that the enhanced bioavailability was attributed to amorphous nature and particle size reduction."( Physicochemical properties and oral bioavailability of amorphous atorvastatin hemi-calcium using spray-drying and SAS process.
Hwang, SJ; Jin, SJ; Kim, JS; Kim, MS; Lee, S; Park, HJ, 2008
)
0.35
"The aim of this study was to develop a new phospholipid complex self-emulsifying drug delivery system (PC-SEDDS) to enhance bioavailability of oral etoposide, a drug with poor water solubility."( Preparation and evaluation of a self-emulsifying drug delivery system of etoposide-phospholipid complex.
Chen, J; Deng, L; Guo, D; Wu, Z; Yang, Q; Zhang, Y, 2011
)
0.37
" Compared with ES, relative bioavailability of EPC-SEDDS, E-SEDDS, and EPCS after oral administration in rats was enhanced by 60."( Preparation and evaluation of a self-emulsifying drug delivery system of etoposide-phospholipid complex.
Chen, J; Deng, L; Guo, D; Wu, Z; Yang, Q; Zhang, Y, 2011
)
0.37
"The synergistic effect between PC and SEDDS contributed to the enhanced bioavailability of etoposide."( Preparation and evaluation of a self-emulsifying drug delivery system of etoposide-phospholipid complex.
Chen, J; Deng, L; Guo, D; Wu, Z; Yang, Q; Zhang, Y, 2011
)
0.37
" This study shows the utility of an itraconazole-succinic acid cocrystal for improving itraconazole bioavailability while also demonstrating the potential for CO(2) to replace traditional liquid antisolvents in cocrystal preparation, thus making cocrystal production more environmentally benign and scale-up more feasible."( Formation of itraconazole-succinic acid cocrystals by gas antisolvent cocrystallization.
Gupta, RB; Ober, CA, 2012
)
0.38
"Currently, infections following cataract surgery are not as effectively managed with antibiotic eye drops, which suffer from poor bioavailability of drug and low patient compliance."( Sustained Antibiotic-Eluting Intra-Ocular Lenses: A New Approach.
Lim, SG; Tan, DW; Venkatraman, SS; Wong, TT, 2016
)
0.43

Dosage Studied

ExcerptRelevanceReference
"A column high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for the determination of glucosamine in dosage forms."( Development of a simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination of glucosamine in pharmaceutical formulations.
Ansarin, M; Ghaderi, F; Nemati, M; Valizadeh, H,
)
0.13
" Compared with the same dosage of heparin, iron-heparin complexed hollow capsules display a more prolonged anticoagulant duration than heparin."( Novel hollow microcapsules based on iron-heparin complex multilayers.
Dai, Z; Gao, Y; Liu, S; Yu, L; Yue, X, 2008
)
0.35
"4% (v/v) water content, temperature of 30 °C, 8 mg/mL dosage of Novozyme 435, 8:1 (0."( An efficient system for the asymmetric acylation of (R,S)-3-n-butylphthalide catalyzed by novozyme 435.
Gao, B; He, L; Li, C; Qiu, B, 2010
)
0.36
" The four factors investigated were initial pH, Fe(2+) dosage, H2O2 dosage and reaction time."( Treatment of tetrahydrofuran wastewater by the Fenton process: response surface methodology as an optimization tool.
Cao, X; Lou, H; Wei, W; Zhu, L, 2014
)
0.77
" Here, metabolic profiles for aniline (A), chloroform (CL), ethylbenzene (EB), 2-methoxyethanol (ME), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and tetrahydrofurane (THF), dosed inhalatively for six hours/day, five days a week for 4 weeks were compared to oral dosing performed daily for 4 weeks."( Metabolite profiles of rats in repeated dose toxicological studies after oral and inhalative exposure.
Bordag, N; Fabian, E; Herold, M; Kamp, H; Krennrich, G; Looser, R; Ma-Hock, L; Mellert, W; Montoya, G; Peter, E; Prokudin, A; Spitzer, M; Strauss, V; van Ravenzwaay, B; Walk, T; Zbranek, R, 2016
)
0.64
[information is derived through text-mining from research data collected from National Library of Medicine (NLM), extracted Dec-2023]

Roles (1)

RoleDescription
polar aprotic solventA solvent with a comparatively high relative permittivity (or dielectric constant), greater than ca. 15, and a sizable permanent dipole moment, that cannot donate suitably labile hydrogen atoms to form strong hydrogen bonds.
[role information is derived from Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI), Hastings J, Owen G, Dekker A, Ennis M, Kale N, Muthukrishnan V, Turner S, Swainston N, Mendes P, Steinbeck C. (2016). ChEBI in 2016: Improved services and an expanding collection of metabolites. Nucleic Acids Res]

Drug Classes (4)

ClassDescription
oxolanesAny oxacycle having an oxolane (tetrahydrofuran) skeleton.
saturated organic heteromonocyclic parent
cyclic etherAny ether in which the oxygen atom forms part of a ring.
volatile organic compoundAny organic compound having an initial boiling point less than or equal to 250 degreeC (482 degreeF) measured at a standard atmospheric pressure of 101.3 kPa.
[compound class information is derived from Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI), Hastings J, Owen G, Dekker A, Ennis M, Kale N, Muthukrishnan V, Turner S, Swainston N, Mendes P, Steinbeck C. (2016). ChEBI in 2016: Improved services and an expanding collection of metabolites. Nucleic Acids Res]

Pathways (1)

PathwayProteinsCompounds
Glycine degradation04

Protein Targets (1)

Potency Measurements

ProteinTaxonomyMeasurementAverage (µ)Min (ref.)Avg (ref.)Max (ref.)Bioassay(s)
aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A1Homo sapiens (human)Potency39.81070.011212.4002100.0000AID1030
[prepared from compound, protein, and bioassay information from National Library of Medicine (NLM), extracted Dec-2023]

Bioassays (6)

Assay IDTitleYearJournalArticle
AID19262Aqueous solubility2000Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters, Jun-05, Volume: 10, Issue:11
Prediction of drug solubility from Monte Carlo simulations.
AID433903Hepatotoxicity in mouse assessed as carcinogenic potency2009European journal of medicinal chemistry, Sep, Volume: 44, Issue:9
Development of QSAR models for predicting hepatocarcinogenic toxicity of chemicals.
AID343683Octanol-water partition coefficient, log P of the compound2008Journal of medicinal chemistry, Jul-10, Volume: 51, Issue:13
Toward prediction of alkane/water partition coefficients.
AID343684Alkane-water partition coefficient, log P of the compound2008Journal of medicinal chemistry, Jul-10, Volume: 51, Issue:13
Toward prediction of alkane/water partition coefficients.
AID101345Toxicity determined using Golden Orfe Fish Test1991Journal of medicinal chemistry, May, Volume: 34, Issue:5
Using theoretical descriptors in quantitative structure-activity relationships: some toxicological indices.
AID346025Binding affinity to beta cyclodextrin2009Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry, Jan-15, Volume: 17, Issue:2
Convenient QSAR model for predicting the complexation of structurally diverse compounds with beta-cyclodextrins.
[information is prepared from bioassay data collected from National Library of Medicine (NLM), extracted Dec-2023]

Research

Studies (1,058)

TimeframeStudies, This Drug (%)All Drugs %
pre-199057 (5.39)18.7374
1990's112 (10.59)18.2507
2000's385 (36.39)29.6817
2010's462 (43.67)24.3611
2020's42 (3.97)2.80
[information is prepared from research data collected from National Library of Medicine (NLM), extracted Dec-2023]

Market Indicators

Research Demand Index: 96.52

According to the monthly volume, diversity, and competition of internet searches for this compound, as well the volume and growth of publications, there is estimated to be very strong demand-to-supply ratio for research on this compound.

MetricThis Compound (vs All)
Research Demand Index96.52 (24.57)
Research Supply Index7.00 (2.92)
Research Growth Index4.99 (4.65)
Search Engine Demand Index176.30 (26.88)
Search Engine Supply Index2.00 (0.95)

This Compound (96.52)

All Compounds (24.57)

Study Types

Publication TypeThis drug (%)All Drugs (%)
Trials1 (0.09%)5.53%
Reviews19 (1.74%)6.00%
Case Studies5 (0.46%)4.05%
Observational0 (0.00%)0.25%
Other1,066 (97.71%)84.16%
[information is prepared from research data collected from National Library of Medicine (NLM), extracted Dec-2023]