2,5-Dimethylfuran

Colorless liquid; spicy smoky aroma

clear colorless to amber liquid

Reported found in beef, chicken, cocoa, coffee, egg, malt, rice, and rum.

2,5-Dimethylfuran is a major metabolite of hexane with singlet oxygen scavenging ability. It is used as biofuel, biomaker for smoking, pharmaceutical intermediate and in organic synthesis. It is also used to analyze samples for the derivatization of carbonyl-containing compounds to their oximes.

It is an ideal marker for detecting cigarette smoke.

ChEBI: 2,5-dimethylfuran is a member of the class of furans that is furan in which the hydrogens at positions 2 and 5 are replaced by methyl groups. It has a role as a human urinary metabolite, an antifungal agent, a bacterial metabolite, a fumigant, a fuel, a plant metabolite and a Maillard reaction product.

Medium strength odor, meaty type; recommend smelling in a 10.0% solution or less.

Chemical meaty gravy taste at 30 ppm in water.

The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 54, p. 3475, 1989 DOI: 10.1021/jo00275a039
Synthesis, p. 209, 1973

Clear yellow oily liquid. Aromatic caustic odor.

Highly flammable. 2,5-Dimethylfuran may be sensitive to exposure to air(not vigorous). Insoluble in water.

2,5-Dimethylfuran can react vigorously with oxidizing materials. 2,5-Dimethylfuran is also incompatible with strong acids and strong bases.

2,5-Dimethylfuran is flammable.

Currently, DMF is mainly obtained by hydrogenation/hydrolysis of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) catalyzed by metal catalysts, most of which include noble metals such as palladium and ruthenium, and in recent years there have been a number of reports on catalytic catalytic catalyzation by nonprecious metals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and iron. Efficient production of 2,5-DMF from fructose by the one-pot method is also available.