Preparation of (2,5-¹⁴C)-tetrahydrofuran by catalytic cyclodehydration of 1,4-butanediol using tungsten-substituted-phosphoric acid

Polymeric coatings are an important part of a variety of industries including textiles, electronics automobiles and food etc. They are the protective layers that are used to extend the life of a material or surface by shielding it from moisture and preventing it from cracks. Water-based coatings rather than organic-based coatings are extensively used nowadays to develop biocompatible and eco-sustainable coatings. Tetrahydrofuran labelled with carbon-14 was required to study diffusion of the solvent inside the coating and to study the effect of surfactant on the solvent removal rate in polymers and solvent coatings. Tetrahydrofuran is prepared either from 1,4-butanediol by reacting acetylene with formaldehyde by Reppe process and followed by hydrogenation of 1,4-butynediol or from the chlorination of the butadiene. We prepared (2,5-¹⁴C)-tetrahydrofuran from (1,4-¹⁴C)- butanediol by cyclodehydration using dodecatungstophosphoric acid as a catalyst with a radiochemical yield more than 75 %. Product was isolated from the polymerized radiolabeled impurities by reactive distillation