China and the United States are the leading exporters of 1,4-Butanediol (CAS 110-63-4), collectively accounting for a majority of global shipments, while South Korea, Germany, and India represent the largest importers. Imports into Southeast Asia and India have expanded steadily since 2022, coinciding with regional petrochemical capacity growth and rising 1,4-Butanediol prices amid tightening supply from key producers.
1,4-Butanediol is a colorless, viscous liquid with a mild, chloroform-like odor and low volatility; it has a melting point of approximately 20 °C and a boiling point of about 230 °C at atmospheric pressure. It is classified as an aliphatic diol and serves primarily as a key chemical intermediate in industrial organic synthesis. Its principal uses include the production of tetrahydrofuran (THF), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) engineering thermoplastics, and spandex (elastane) fibers via polyurethane precursors. Major application areas encompass high-performance polymers, automotive and electronics components, textile fibers, and coatings.
Butanediol and its derivatives is used in a broad spectrum of applications in the chemical industry; amongst others in the manufacturing of technical plastics, polyurethanes, solvents, electronic chemicals and elastic fibres.1,4-Butanediol is used in the synthesis of epothilones, a new class of cancer drugs. Also used in the stereoselective synthesis of (-)-Brevisamide.1,4-Butanediol's largest use is within tetrahydrofuran (THF) production, used to make polytetramethylene ether glycol, which goes mainly into spandex fibers, urethane elastomers, and copolyester ethers.It is commonly used as a solvent in the chemical industry to manufacture gamma-butyrolactone and elastic fibers like spandex.It is used as a cross-linking agent for thermoplastic urethanes, polyester plasticizers, paints and coatings.It undergoes dehydration in the presence of phosphoric acid yielded teterahydrofuran, which is an important solvent used for various applications.It acts an intermediate and is used to manufacture polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and polyurethane (PU).It finds application as an industrial cleaner and a glue remover.1,4-butanediol is also used as a plasticiser (e.g. in polyesters and cellulosics), as a carrier solvent in printing ink, a cleaning agent, an adhesive (in leather, plastics, polyester laminates and polyurethane footwear), in agricultural and veterinary chemicals and in coatings (in paints, varnishes and films).
1,4-butanediol (1,4-BD) is a colorless, viscous liquid derived from butane by placement of alcohol groups at each end of its molecular chain and is one of four stable isomers of butanediol.the hydroxyl function of each end group of the Butanediol reacts with different mono- and bifunctional reagents: for example with dicarboxylic acids to polyesters, with diisocyanates to polyurethanes, or with phosgene to polycarbonates. 1.4-Butanediol (BDO) is a high-quality intermediate. BDO and its derivatives are widely used for producing plastics, solvents, electronic chemicals and elastic fibers. Additionally BDO is also a building block for the synthesis of polyesterpolyols and polyetherpolyols. BASF is the most significant producer of 1,4-Butanediol and its derivatives worldwide.
This chemical is included in Basic Chemicals - Polyurethanes. See more about what is 1,4-Butanediol and 1,4-Butanediol SDS information.
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