What is Glyoxal?

Glyoxal is an organic compound with the formula C2H2O2. This white or off-white crystalline is the smallest dialdehyde (two aldehyde groups). Its tautomer acetylenediol is unstable. The Molecular Weight is 58.04, CAS Registry Number is 107-22-2.

Be careful to the Stability Combustible of Glyoxal. It is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents, strong reducing agent. It may polyermize exothermically, and it is incompatible with air, water, oxygen, peroxides, amides, amines, hydroxy-containing materials, nitric acid, aldehydes. Corrodes many metals.

Glyoxal(CAS NO: 107-22-2) practically does not exists as the well-known volatile dialdehyde, but in commercial 40% aqueous solutions, it is predominantly found in non-volatile hydrated and oligomeric forms. Glyoxal is an inflammatory compound formed when cooking oils and fats are heated to high temperatures. It is supplied typically as a 40% aqueous solution. Like other small aldehydes, glyoxal forms hydrates. Furthermore, the hydrates condense to give a series of oligomers, the structures of which remain uncertain. For most applications, the exact nature of the species in solution is inconsequential. 

Glyoxal is used as starting material for the synthesis of crosslinking agents, in the textile finishing industry for instance to make urea Glyoxal formaldehyde resins. The paper industry uses large amounts of Glyoxal, where its cellulose crosslinking properties are appreciated to make paper suitable for offset printing and to improve its wet-strength. Through its methylic or ethylic monoacetals or acetals, it is also a key compound in a wide variety of chemistries and applications.

Coated paper and in the textile finishes use large amounts of glyoxal as a crosslinker for starch-based formulations and as a starting material with ureas for wrinkle-resistant chemical treatments. It is used as a solubilizer and cross-linking agent in polymer chemistry: proteins (leather tanning process),collagen,cellulose derivatives (textiles),hydrocolloids,starch (paper coatings)

It is a valuable building block in organic synthesis, especially in the synthesis of heterocycles such as imidazoles. A convenient form of the reagent for use in the laboratory is its bis-hemiacetal with ethylene glycol, 1,4-dioxane-2,3-diol. This compound is commercially available.

The first commercial Glyoxal source was in Lamotte, France, started in 1960 and currently owned by Clariant. The single largest commercial source is BASF in Ludwigshafen, Germany at ~60,000 tons/annum. Until recently only 2 production sites existed in the Americas, however the 45kMT Charlotte facility is closed. Significant capacity has been added recently in China. Commercial bulk Glyoxal is made and reported as a 40%-strength solution.

Want to learn more information about Glyoxal, you can access the guidechem.com. Guidechem chemical B2B network provides information on china and global chemical market quotation and relative chemical Information. Guidechem Chemical Network providing the most complete information of the chemical industry.