Maleic anhydride is a cyclic dicarboxylic anhydride that is the cyclic anhydride of maleic acid.
Definition
Maleic anhydride is a cyclic dicarboxylic anhydride that is the cyclic anhydride of maleic acid. It has a role as an allergen. It is a member of furans and a cyclic dicarboxylic anhydride.
Source: PubChem
US FDA substance register · UNII V5877ZJZ25 · registered name Maleic Anhydride · single chemical substance
Cosmetic roles
Safety & regulatory references
Korea’s toxic-substance GHS classification: Danger · H314 (category 1B) · H302 (category 4) · H372 (category 1) · +2 more
More data — names, identifiers, properties, test records, literature
Official labels & definitions
JCIA labelling name 無水マレイン酸: 本品は、次の化学式で表される有機化合物である。
Source: JCIA labelling names (Japan)
Names & identifiers
- CAS No.chemical registry number
- 108-31-6
- EC No.EU chemical inventory number
- 203-571-6
- DTXSIDUS EPA chemical ID
- DTXSID7024166
- DTXCIDUS EPA compound ID
- DTXCID804166
- IUPAC
- Furan-2,5-dione
- Molecular formula
- C4H2O3
- Molecular weight
- 98.057 g/mol
Measured properties
- Appearance
- solid
- Odour threshold
- 0.3 ppm
- Melting/freezing point
- 53 ℃
- Initial boiling point and range
- 202 ℃
- Flash point
- 102 ℃
- Upper/lower flammability or explosive limits
- 7.1 / 1.4 %
- Vapour pressure
- 25 ㎩ (25℃)
- Water solubility
- 400 (g/L, 20℃)
- Vapour density
- 3.4
- Relative density
- 1.5
- n-Octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow)
- 1.62
- Auto-ignition temperature
- 477 ℃
- Viscosity
- 0.61 (60℃)
- Molecular weight
- 98.06
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: KOSHA safety data sheets (Korea)
What products actually use it for
What the 16 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.
- Monomers3
- Intermediate3
- Film former2
- Hardener2
- Solvent1
- Soil amendments1
- Plating agent1
- Stabilizing agent1
2 other uses
- Biocide1
- Dust suppressant1
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Irritation and sensitisation studies
16 skin studies and 4 eye studies are on record.
The studies disagree (the most common conclusion covers 50%), so they do not establish that this ingredient is irritating. These tests are on the raw material itself; irritation at the amount in a finished product is a different question.
See all 20 studies
- Skin sensitization - Category 1A
Skin Sensitization · Screening - High Frequency of Sensitization
skin sensitisation: in vivo (non-LLNA) · Screening · according to OECD Guideline 406 (Skin Sensitisation) - Skin Corr. 1B
Skin Irritation · Authoritative - Skin sensitisation - category 1
Skin Sensitization · Screening - Skin corrosion - category 1B
Skin Irritation · Screening - Severe Irritation
skin irritation: in vivo · Screening · OECD Guideline 404 (Acute Dermal Irritation / Corrosion) equivalent or similar to - High Frequency of Sensitization
skin sensitisation: in vivo (LLNA) · Screening · equivalent or similar to OECD Guideline 429 (Skin Sensitisation: Local Lymph Node Assay) - Skin Sens. 1
Skin Sensitization · Authoritative - Sah
Skin Sensitization · Authoritative - Category 1
Skin Irritation · Screening - Skin Sens. 1
Skin Sensitization · Screening - Skin Corr. 1B
Skin Irritation · Screening - Category 1
Skin Sensitization · Screening - Category 6.5B (Category 1)
Skin Sensitization · Read Across - Category 8.2C (Category 1C)
Skin Irritation · Read Across - Skin corrosion/irritation - Category 1
Skin Irritation · Screening - Severe Irritation
eye irritation: in vivo · Screening · OECD Guideline 405 (Acute Eye Irritation / Corrosion) equivalent or similar to - Category 1
Eye Irritation · Screening - Category 8.3A (Category 1)
Eye Irritation · Read Across - Eye Dam. 1
Eye Irritation · Screening
Source: US EPA CompTox dashboard
Related literature
- Effect of Yak Skin Gelatin with Different Molecular Weights on the Properties of Gelatin/Polymethyl Vinyl Ether-alt-maleic-anhydride Copolymer Composite Scaffold Material · 2025
- Micromolding of Amphotericin-B-Loaded Methoxyethylene–Maleic Anhydride Copolymer Microneedles · 2022
- Thermosensitive Bioadhesive Hydrogels Based on Poly(N-isopropylacrilamide) and Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride) for the Controlled Release of Metronidazole in the Vaginal Environment · 2021
- Antimicrobial hydrogels based on autoclaved poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride) mixtures for wound care applications · 2016
- Influence of plasticizer type and storage conditions on properties of poly(methyl vinyl ether-co-maleic anhydride) bioadhesive films · 2004
Linked databases 19
- Australian Industrial Chemicals Inventory (AICIS)
- ChEBI
- ChEMBL
- EU CosIng ingredient list 2
- 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
- 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)
- Wikidata
- Wikipedia · English · Japanese · Chinese