Tetrahydrofuran  ( THF ), or  oxolane , is an  organic compound  with the formula (CH ₂ ) ₄ O. The compound is classified as  heterocyclic compound , specifically a cyclic  ether . It is a colorless, water- miscible  organic liquid with low  viscosity . It is mainly used as a  precursor  to polymers.  Being  polar  and having a wide liquid range, THF is a versatile  solvent .

About 200,000  tonnes  of tetrahydrofuran are produced annually.  The most widely used industrial process involves the acid-catalyzed dehydration  .  Ashland/ISP  is one of the biggest producers of this chemical route. The method is similar to the production of  diethyl ether  from  ethanol . The butanediol is derived from  condensation  of  acetylene  with  formaldehyde  followed by  hydrogenation . DuPont  developed a process for producing THF by  oxidizing   n -butane  to crude  maleic anhydride , followed by catalytic hydrogenation.  A third major industrial route entails  hydroformylation  of  allyl alcohol  followed by hydrogenation to  1,4-butanediol .
 

Product name	Adipic acid
Item	Supperior class	First class	Qualified	Result
Apprearance	white crystaline powder			white crystaline powder
Purity % m/m	99.7 min	99.7 min	99.5 min	99.8
Melting point	151.5 min	151.5 min	151 min	152.8
Ammonias solution color, pt-co	5 max	5 max	15 max	1
Moisture % m/m	0.20 max	0.27 max	0.4 max	0.17
Ash, mg/kg	7 max	10 max	35 max	4
Iron, mg/kg	1.0 max	1.0 max	3.0 max	0.3
Nitric   acidS, mg/kg	10.0 max	10.0 max	50.0 max	1.1
Oxidable matter, mg/kg	60 max	70 max	---	17
Chroma of melts, pt-co	50 max	---	---	10

Polymerization

In the presence of  strong acids , THF converts to a linear polymer called  poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol  (PTMEG), also known as polytetramethylene oxide (PTMO)

As a solvent

The other main application of THF is as an industrial solvent for  polyvinyl chloride  (PVC) and in  varnishes .
THF is often used in polymer science. 
THF is used as a component in mobile phases for  reversed-phase liquid chromatography .
THF is used as a solvent in 3D printing when using  PLA  plastics. It can be used to clean clogged 3D printer parts, as well as when finishing prints to remove extruder lines and add a shine to the finished product. Recently THF is used as co-solvent for lithium metal batteries, helping to stabilize the metal anode.

Laboratory use

In the laboratory, THF is a popular solvent when its water miscibility is not an issue. 

Reaction with hydrogen sulfide

In the presence of a  solid acid catalyst , THF reacts with  hydrogen sulfide  to give  tetrahydrothiophene .

Q1: Can I get some samples?
A: Yes, we can supply free sample , but the shipping cost be paid by customers.