Keay, BA; Hopkins, JM; Dibble, PW
This chapter provides an overview of literature from 1996 on the applications of various furan and benzofuran containing compounds. In addition to compounds that contain a furan or benzofuran ring the chapter includes various derivatives of these compounds that contain one oxygen atom within a five-membered ring, i.e., dihydro- and tetrahydrofuran ring, 2(5H)- and 3(2H)-furanones, five-membered anhydrides, isobenzofurans, dibenzofurans, benzofuranones, benzoanhydrides, polyarylfurans (and derivatives therefrom), and their hydro derivatives. Applications include pharmaceuticals, textiles and fibers, fossil fuels, dyes and photosensitizers, surface active agents and detergents, cellulose, lignin, paper and other wood products, leather, fats, waxes, essential oils, cosmetics, agrochemical bioregulators, pesticides, polymers, and polymer additives. Simple furan and benzofuran derivatives like tetrahydrofuran, maleic, succinic and phthalic anhydride, are not discussed in detail.