tetrahydrofuran

[ te-truh-hahy-druh-fyoor-an ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a clear liquid, C 4 H 8 O, soluble in water and organic solvents, used as a solvent for resins, in polymerizations and as a chemical intermediate.

tetrahydrofuran

/ tĕt′rə-hī′drə-fyr′ăn′ /

1. A clear, highly flammable liquid used as a solvent for natural and synthetic resins and in the production of nylon. Tetrahydrofuran is a furan ring without double bonds between any of the carbon atoms. It is the building block of the sugars ribose, deoxyribose, and fructose. Chemical formula: C 4 H 8 O.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tetrahydrofuran¹

First recorded in 1940–45; tetra- + hydro- ² + furan