5-hydroxymethylfurfural is a member of the class of furans that is furan which is substituted at positions 2 and 5 by formyl and hydroxymethyl substituents, respectively.
Definition
5-hydroxymethylfurfural is a member of the class of furans that is furan which is substituted at positions 2 and 5 by formyl and hydroxymethyl substituents, respectively. Virtually absent from fresh foods, it is naturally generated in sugar-containing foods during storage, and especially by drying or cooking. It is the causative component in honey that affects the presystemic metabolism and pharmacokinetics of GZ in-vivo. It has a role as an indicator and a Maillard reaction product. It is a primary alcohol, a member of furans and an arenecarbaldehyde.
Source: PubChem
US FDA substance register · UNII 70ETD81LF0 · registered name 5-(Hydroxymethyl)-2-furaldehyde · single chemical substance
Hydroxymethylfurfural is the organic compound 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
Names & identifiers
- CAS No.chemical registry number
- 67-47-0
- DTXSIDUS EPA chemical ID
- DTXSID3030428
- DTXCIDUS EPA compound ID
- DTXCID1010428
- IUPAC
- 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furan-2-carbaldehyde
- Molecular formula
- C6H6O3
- Molecular weight
- 126.111 g/mol
Measured properties
- Appearance
- Solid with an odor of chamomile flowers, mp = 31.5 deg C, [Merck Index] Beige or yellow hygroscopic solid, mp = 32-35 deg C, [Alfa Aesar MSDS] · Solid
- Odour
- Odor of chamomile flowers
- Boiling point
- BP: 115 °C at 1 mm Hg · 114.00 to 116.00 °C. @ 1.00 mm Hg
- Melting point
- 31.5 °C · 35 - 35.5 °C
- Solubility
- Freely soluble in methanol, ethanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, dimethylformamide. Soluble in ether, benzene, chloroform. Less soluble in carbon tetrachloride. Sparingly soluble in petroleum ether. · Soluble in common organic solvents
- Density
- 1.2062 g/cu cm at 25 °C
- Melting/freezing point
- 31.5 ℃
- Flash point
- 79 ℃
- Molecular weight
- 126.12
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 1 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.
- Flavouring and nutrient1
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Related literature
- Application of a Next Generation Risk Assessment Framework, Integrated Testing Strategy Defined Approaches and Read-across for Evaluating the Skin Sensitization Potency: Case studies with 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and 5,5'-Oxydimethylenebis (2-Furfural). · 2026
- The effects of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural in mitigating transportation stress of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) · 2025
- 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural multimers induce pseudo‐allergic reaction through FcεRI at high doses · 2023
- Effect of storage and frying times on stability of acrylamide and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in fresh and frozen curry puff skins · 2020
- Spatial distributions of furan and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in unroasted and roasted Coffea arabica beans. · 2019
Linked databases 17
- Australian Industrial Chemicals Inventory (AICIS)
- ChEBI
- ChEMBL
- EU CosIng ingredient list 2
- Korea toxic substances GHS register (NIER)
- KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
- 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