Gamma-butyrolactone is a butan-4-olide that is tetrahydrofuran substituted by an oxo group at position 2.
Definition
US FDA substance register · UNII OL659KIY4X · registered name Butyrolactone · single chemical substance
Gamma-butyrolactone is a butan-4-olide that is tetrahydrofuran substituted by an oxo group at position 2. It has a role as a metabolite and a neurotoxin.
Source: PubChem
Butyrolactone is the lactone that conforms to the formula
Cosmetic roles
Safety & regulatory references
Not classified under Korea’s toxic-substance GHS list · existing chemical substance
More data — names, identifiers, properties, test records, literature
Official labels & definitions
JCIA labelling name ブチロラクトン: 本品は、次の化学式で表されるラクトンである。
Source: JCIA labelling names (Japan)
Names & identifiers
- CAS No.chemical registry number
- 96-48-0
- EC No.EU chemical inventory number
- 202-509-5
- DTXSIDUS EPA chemical ID
- DTXSID6020224
- DTXCIDUS EPA compound ID
- DTXCID80224
- IUPAC
- Oxolan-2-one
- Molecular formula
- C4H6O2
- Molecular weight
- 86.09 g/mol
Measured properties
- Appearance
- 4-butyrolactone is a clear colorless oily liquid with a pleasant odor. (NTP, 1992) · Liquid
- Odour
- Pleasant odor · Faint odor
- Boiling point
- 399 to 401 °F at 760 mmHg (NTP, 1992) · 204 °C at 760 mm Hg
- Melting point
- -49 °F (NTP, 1992) · -43.53 °C
- Solubility
- greater than or equal to 100 mg/mL at 55 °F (NTP, 1992) · Miscible with alcohol and ether.
- Density
- 1.1286 at 59 °F (NTP, 1992) - Denser than water, will sink · 1.1296 g/cu cm at 20 °C
- Stability
- Stable at pH 7, rapidly hydrolyzed by bases, slowly hydrolyzed by acids.
- Viscosity
- 1.75 centipoise at 25 °C · 1.75 cP (@ 25 ℃)
- Colour
- colourless
- Odour threshold
- (20-50 ppm)
- Melting/freezing point
- -44 ℃
- Initial boiling point and range
- 204 ℃
- Flash point
- 98 ℃(c.c.)
- Flammability (solid, gas)
- combustible
- Upper/lower flammability or explosive limits
- 16 / 0.3 %
- Vapour pressure
- 0.45 ㎜Hg (0.45 mmHg at 25C)
- Water solubility
- 1000000 ㎎/ℓ (@ 0 ℃)
- Vapour density
- 2.97
- Relative density
- 1.1
- n-Octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow)
- -0.57
- Auto-ignition temperature
- 455 ℃
- Molecular weight
- 86.09
Values measured on the substance itself. The KOSHA data are a reference for writing and reviewing safety data sheets, not a specification for a commercial raw material.
Source: PubChem · KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
What products actually use it for
What the 17 products reported to the US EPA with this ingredient use it for. Products outside cosmetics are included, so the top few rows are its main uses.
- Solvent8
- Fragrance3
- Flavouring and nutrient2
- Deodorizer1
- Intermediate1
- Chemical reaction regulator1
- Processing aids not otherwise specified1
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Irritation and sensitisation studies
4 skin studies and 3 eye studies are on record.
The study conclusions largely agree (100%). These tests are on the raw material itself; irritation at the amount in a finished product is a different question.
See all 7 studies
- Classification not possible
Skin Sensitization · Screening - Not classified
Skin Irritation · Screening - Not likely to be sensitizing
skin sensitisation: in vivo (LLNA) · Screening · according to OECD Guideline 429 (Skin Sensitisation: Local Lymph Node Assay) - SkinIrr2
Skin Irritation · QSAR Predicted - Corrosive or Irritation Persists for > 21 days
eye irritation: in vivo · Screening · OECD Guideline 405 (Acute Eye Irritation / Corrosion) Eyes were rinsed after treatment according to - Category 2A
Eye Irritation · Screening - Category 6.4A (Category 2A)
Eye Irritation · Read Across
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Related literature
- Fingertip dermatitis in a retail florist. · 2001
- The toxic cutaneous effects of Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL). · 2021
- Deep-Sea-Derived Butyrolactone I Suppresses Ovalbumin-Induced Anaphylaxis by Regulating Mast Cell Function in a Murine Model. · 2018
- Novel glucocorticoid antedrugs possessing a 17beta-(gamma-lactone) ring. · 2001
- Occupational Dermatoses in Nursery Workers · 1995
Linked databases 21
- Australian Industrial Chemicals Inventory (AICIS)
- ChEBI
- ChEMBL
- EU CosIng ingredient list 2
- IARC carcinogen classification
- JCIA labelling names (Japan)
- Korea Cosmetic Association ingredient dictionary
- Korea toxic substances GHS register (NIER)
- KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
- MFDS (Korea) cosmetic ingredient register 2
- NIST Chemistry WebBook
- PubChem 2
- Tlooto literature search 2 3 4 5
- UniChem cross-reference IDs
- US EPA CompTox dashboard 2
- US EPA DSSTox chemical database
- US FDA substance registration (GSRS)
- US FDA Unique Ingredient Identifier (UNII)
- US National Toxicology Program reports
- Wikidata
- Wikipedia · English · Japanese · Chinese