furfural

American  

[fur-fyuh-ral, -fuh-] / ˈfɜr fyəˌræl, -fə- /

noun

1. a colorless, oily liquid, C 5 H 4 O 2 , having an aromatic odor, obtained from bran, sugar, wood, corncobs, or the like, by distillation: used chiefly in the manufacture of plastics and as a solvent in the refining of lubricating oils.

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furfural Scientific  

/ fûr′fə-răl′ /

1. A colorless, sweet-smelling, liquid made from corncobs and used as a solvent in petroleum refining and as a fungicide and weed killer. It turns reddish brown when exposed to air and light. Furfural is an aldehyde of furan. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₄ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of furfural

1875–80; < Latin furfur bran + -al ³

Example Sentences

If a book smells chocolatey, it’s likely that it is releasing vanillin, benzaldehyde and furfural – three chemicals associated with the degradation of the cellulose and lignin in paper.

From The Guardian • Apr. 7, 2017

In fact, says Strlič, the smell is due to the release of chemicals such as furfural and hexanol as the paper itself decays.

From The Guardian • Apr. 7, 2017

Cotton seeds now contribute to the manufacture of refined oils, stearin, soap, nitroglycerine, roofing paint, writing paper, nitrocellulose, smokeless powder, lacquers, artificial leather, celluloid, rayon, photographic films, sausage casings, toilet ware, furfural, etc., etc.

From Time Magazine Archive

Anthraquinone, raw material for many textile dyes, made cheaply by using furfural as a solvent and by direct oxidation in the presence of a catalyst.

From Time Magazine Archive

Following in this direction of development of the subject is a study of the action of persulphuric acid upon furfural.

From Researches on Cellulose 1895-1900 by Cross, C. F.