Chemists first explored pyrrole-2,5-dione structures more than a century ago, drawn by their peculiar reactivity and ease of derivatization. Over the decades, synthetic tweaks led to analogues like 1-methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione, which offers more than just academic curiosity. During the explosion of organic synthesis techniques in the 20th century, plenty of routes emerged for such compounds, including cyclization and oxidation of appropriate precursors. It’s easy to see why: small tweaks on the pyrrole ring set off significant changes in behavior, which fuels not only fundamental research but also industrial interest. Early patents describe various uses in dyes and intermediates, long before the current wave of specialty chemicals.
1-Methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione analogue stands out as a versatile building block in synthesis, bridging basic organic chemistry and real-world utility. Its core scaffold attracts development projects in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and polymers. Chemical suppliers stock it as a powder or crystalline solid, serving both bench research and pilot-scale synthesis needs. Robust demand comes from teams looking for efficient access to conjugated systems, key for many advanced materials and medicinal compounds.
This compound brings a modest melting point, strong odor, and notable solubility shifts in polar aprotic solvents. Its structure features a five-membered methylated pyrrole ring fused with two ketone-like carbonyl groups, providing both nucleophilic and electrophilic sites. The methyl group at the nitrogen boosts its electron density and alters hydrogen-bonding compared to the parent maleimide. In labs, batches usually look off-white to yellow, depending on purity. Stability against hydrolysis remains good under neutral and dry conditions, but moisture can trigger slow decomposition.
Chemical manufacturers issue clear label info: the compound typically carries a purity greater than 98 percent by HPLC, with single-digit water content, and minimal contamination by related impurities. Labels call out the molecular weight, CAS number, molecular formula, melting point, batch number, and recommended storage (cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight). Many suppliers also include safety phrases based on GHS standards, plus guidelines for proper PPE during handling.
Lab scale synthesis often starts from N-methylsuccinimide or its derivatives, followed by oxidation processes—using agents like potassium permanganate or peracids—to introduce or tweak the dione function. Cyclization strategies, employing thermal or acid catalysis, help close the five-membered ring when working from linear precursors. Yields exceed 80 percent under optimized protocols that focus on temperature control and solvent selection. Automatic chromatography purifies crude product for high-precision tasks, while recrystallization suits large-scale batches aiming for pharmaceutical-grade specs.
This molecule reacts with a range of nucleophiles at the dione positions, producing addition or substitution products that can diversify the core scaffold. Amines and thiols attack the carbonyls strongly, yielding adducts valuable in “click” chemistry and crosslinking steps. The methyl group unlocks regioselectivity in functionalization, guiding chemists aiming to attach bulky side-chains for target applications. Under hydrogenation, the double bonds reduce smoothly, creating saturated rings often seen in bioactive molecules. Many advanced research programs exploit this behavior to design next-gen drugs and high-performance coatings.
Across literature and catalogs, other names pop up depending on regional and historical preferences. Among the most common are N-methylmaleimide, methylmaleimide, and 1-methylmaleimide. Trade names reflect company branding, but technical teams stick with IUPAC designations on formal documents. Avoiding confusion on synonyms prevents costly supply chain mistakes, especially as chemists move between jurisdictions or update regulatory compliance documents.
Proper ventilation, nitrile gloves, and chemical splash goggles form the basic line of defense during handling. Acute exposure primarily irritates eyes and skin; in sensitive individuals, vapor inhalation can trigger respiratory effects. Safety Data Sheets cite precautionary phrases about avoiding ingestion and prolonged contact. Fire risk stays modest, but good practice means keeping the material away from open flames and storing it in grounded cabinets. Prolonged storage outside recommended temperature can prompt slow degradation, generating unpleasant odors and colored decomposition products. Spill cleanup uses standard absorbent pads, followed by detergent scrubbing for surfaces. As with many specialty intermediates, disposal routes aim for proper incineration or hazardous waste processing.
Medicinal chemists prize this analogue for building up ring-fused systems and engineering new protein conjugates. Its role as a Michael acceptor opens doors for conjugation to antigens, enzymes, and polymers, critical for imaging probes and next-gen therapeutics. Materials scientists appreciate the reactivity that lets them crosslink polymers and enhance adhesives, coatings, and composites. The electronics field uses properly modified analogues to prep conductive polymers, organic LEDs, and ink-jet printing materials. Agrochemical projects also use the core as a scaffold for herbicides and fungicides, hoping to fine-tune selectivity and biodegradability. Unlike more obscure heterocycles, this compound’s flexibility realigns synthetic strategy in a range of industries.
Cross-disciplinary research places this molecule at the center of several emerging trends. In my own experience, exploring its cycloaddition with dienes opens up options I hadn’t even considered in early-stage design. Teams focusing on “green chemistry” have started to revisit preparation methods to cut out toxic reagents and minimize solvent waste. Structure-activity relationship studies constantly churn out analogues that appear in patent filings and early clinical assessments, especially in the oncology sector. Intellectual property professionals track these developments closely given the commercial incentives around novel maleimide technology.
Toxicologists approach this group of compounds with measured caution. Animal studies show mild to moderate toxicity depending on dose and route, but the real concern—especially in pharmaceutical applications—centers on the compound’s high reactivity. Whether a side-chain attaches to unintended proteins or DNA can dictate safety margins, so metabolic studies focus on clearance rates and the fate of reactive intermediates. Regulatory agencies today demand robust data on genotoxicity, skin sensitization, and ecological impact. In my opinion, a key challenge remains engineering analogues that dial down unwanted interactions while preserving useful binding.
Looking forward, this compound’s prospects keep improving as the wider chemical field shifts toward “function first” design. AI-driven modeling now helps predict behavior before the first batch hits the flask, shedding light on new synthesis avenues and property optimization. Bioconjugation research plugs new molecules into protein scaffolds with speed and precision unthinkable just a decade ago. Stronger regulatory frameworks—especially in the EU and US—demand transparent supply chains and safety data earlier in the life cycle, which nudges manufacturers to invest in analytical capabilities and track-and-trace tech. The “greener chemistry” push will likely spur new methods for making and recycling these analogues, edging us closer to a sustainable system. The products people rely on, from drugs to electronics, increasingly benefit from innovations in heterocycle chemistry like 1-methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione analogues.
Drug discovery keeps moving fast, and one look at the building blocks of many new molecules shows just how important a piece like 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrrole-2,5-Dione analogue can be. Medicinal chemists choose it for its ability to slip quietly into core drug scaffolds. The way this analogue offers a reactive center means researchers can shape it for anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, or antiviral compounds with some flexibility in lab conditions. I’ve seen colleagues in cancer research highlight studies where these analogues support the creation of kinase inhibitors. It’s less about the headline molecule and more about the supporting cast—without these analogues, many experimental therapies wouldn’t exist.
A walk through any polymer lab shows more and more use of specialty monomers, and this analogue frequently lands among the top picks. Its imide group brings strong thermal resistance to polymers, which turns essential in electronics, aerospace, and coatings. Multinational companies use these properties to carve out high-stability plastics for electrical insulators or automotive parts that need to last. Toughness and insulation from this analogue set apart devices in environments where heat and voltage strain traditional materials. Working with industrial partners, I’ve watched formulations with 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrrole-2,5-Dione analogue push right past the normal fatigue limits of cheaper plastics.
Chemistry isn’t just about medicine or machines—it also touches the soil. Agrochemical producers reach for this analogue because it brings reliable performance as an intermediate when fine-tuning new pesticides and herbicides. The structure helps target weed enzymes while keeping costs lower than some exotic alternatives. Large farms, especially in the United States and China, rely on this step in synthesis to produce stable, efficient agrochemicals that protect fields from pests season after season.
Labs running diagnostic kits often need tagging molecules or reactive intermediates that don’t interfere with core assays. The 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrrole-2,5-Dione analogue steps in again. Tagging antibodies or small proteins with this core structure allows researchers to improve sensitivity in tests for hormones or disease markers. Some startups use these analogues to produce diagnostic strips requiring no refrigeration—critical for clinics without a reliable cold chain.
Handling this analogue, I’ve noticed that shelf-life and moisture sensitivity can limit its use. Open bottles in humid labs clump or degrade, putting whole syntheses at risk. Stores with strict climate control and packaging that minimizes exposure cut down on these problems. Over the past two years, we saw suppliers step up with airtight packaging, so waste and cost both dropped. In academic labs, training techs to work quickly and seal bottles made a bigger difference than expensive changes in chemical formulation.
Chemists can build greener pathways by picking milder solvents or designing recyclable catalysts for use with this analogue. Big firms, especially those supplying pharmaceuticals or agrochemicals, build in screening for toxicity and environmental breakdown before moving to scale. Industry-wide data-sharing about biodegradability improves design in later rounds—reducing the impact on water and soil. On my end, each switch to cleaner methods not only aligns with regulation but sometimes uncovers better yields. Transparency in reporting any environmental issue helps everyone develop safer, longer-lasting applications for 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrrole-2,5-Dione analogues.
Looking at 1-Methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione, anyone who's spent time with organic chemistry books knows this compound often goes by another name: N-Methylmaleimide. The backbone rolls out as a five-membered ring, a little like a tiny, taut trampoline loaded with pent-up energy. Swap out one of the hydrogens on the nitrogen for a methyl group, and this small tweak changes how the molecule behaves. The molecular formula comes out as C5H5NO2. You can draw it with two keto groups at positions 2 and 5 on the ring, and a methyl group linked to the nitrogen, giving a structure that looks compact but packs a punch in reactivity.
In a research setting or a laboratory, I've seen chemists reach for maleimide analogues because of their ability to act as neat scaffolds for building more complex molecules. In my experience, the presence of those reactive double bonds on the ring and the electron-withdrawing nature of the two carbonyl groups make the whole system ripe for reactions. Attach a methyl group, as seen in 1-Methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione, and you start to modulate both the solubility and how it reacts with other chemicals.
Pharmaceutical research often circles back to the versatile nature of maleimide structures. Conjugation—joining different molecules together, almost like snapping LEGO blocks—relies heavily on the double bonds and carbonyl groups of compounds like this. In drug development, linking antibody fragments to drugs or fluorescent markers grows simpler using these building blocks. This molecule's compact size allows it to slip into larger structures without making them unwieldy. In personal lab work, using 1-Methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione derivatives in protein labeling opens doors for tracking cell processes, targeting cancer cells, and exploring enzyme functions. The small change from the parent maleimide often helps with selectivity, reducing unwanted side reactions.
Risks come with any reactive chemical. Handling compounds like 1-Methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione means balancing usefulness with care. Exposing skin or lungs to reactive chemicals can cause irritation, so my workflow always involves proper ventilation and gloves. In the past, skipping basic safety steps forced entire batches of reactions to be tossed. That taught me that a good chemist always respects the molecule’s tendency to react if given the chance.
A big part of making these molecules comes down to controlling the synthesis conditions. Overheating, exposure to water, or running the reaction with poor solvents often leads to hydrolysis or messy by-products. Purity equals reliability. Every unexpected impurity can swamp a promising experiment, and getting clean 1-Methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione shapes the outcome down the line.
Alongside practical knowledge, digital resources and chemical databases now speed up finding information on such molecules. Chemists today can plug in C5H5NO2 and pull out safety data, predicted reactivity, and global supplier listings in seconds. This transparency means fewer surprises in the lab and more reproducibility across experiments.
Structural understanding remains the foundation for new discoveries. My years in research have shown that recognizing how even a single methyl group changes a molecule’s story leads to smarter design, safer protocols, and breakthroughs that actually make it out of the lab.
Good storage choices often mean the difference between a safe, effective product and something that quickly loses value or even puts health at risk. In my experience handling everyday groceries, medications, and household chemicals, I’ve noticed that clear, realistic storage guidance helps avoid spoiled food, weak medicine, or even dangerous accidents. Incorrect storage isn’t just wasteful—it can cost money and compromise safety.
Several things can spoil a good product: moisture, heat, direct sunlight, exposure to air, and contamination from hands or tools. Dry goods like pasta or grains start to go stale and may attract pests if left in humid rooms. Heat speeds up chemical changes in vitamins, so they stop working as intended. Light can fade herbal teas or even weaken sunscreen.
People often overlook air exposure as a threat, but it’s real. Oxygen can turn oils rancid and stale crackers in days. I’ve seen families keep coffee in opened bags and wonder why it tasted bitter so soon. Proper sealing makes more difference than clever packaging ever will.
Keeping things cool, dry, and away from light extends shelf life. For most household products, a pantry or medicine cabinet away from appliances works well. Refrigeration helps certain foods and medicines, but some products—like honey or solid chocolate—prefer room temperature free from excess moisture.
Even the cleanest storage loses its value if people skip simple habits. Using clean hands or utensils every time keeps bacteria away from products like creams or preserves. In shops, rotating older stock to the front reminds everyone to use older items first. These steps work just as well at home as in a store.
Product labels matter. Dates can indicate expiration or just best quality before a certain time. A “best by” date on dry foods does not always mean the food turns unsafe once the day passes, but for medicines or sensitive cosmetics, it’s smarter to be strict. Over-the-counter pills can lose effectiveness, so keeping an eye on those dates saves headaches—sometimes literally.
If a product smells off, looks strange, or changes texture, trust your senses—discard it. I remember using an old face cream that separated and smelled sharp. The label said it was still fine, but experience told a different story.
Manufacturers already take steps to add stability, but consumers can do more by choosing air-tight containers and avoiding temperature swings. Keeping a storage checklist helps busy families and business owners stay on top of expiration dates. Smart designs—like opaque containers for light-sensitive goods—also make a difference.
Education helps most. People who know why products spoil tend to respect instructions more. Clear, simple reminders on boxes and bottles connect the science of shelf life with daily choices. If storage replaces guesswork with good habits, waste drops and safety rises. Your wallet and your health both benefit.
Chemicals with names like 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrrole-2,5-Dione Analogue don’t sound familiar to most people, but those who’ve worked in a lab or a small factory might recognize the structure. This group of compounds relates closely to maleimides, which find use in adhesives, electronics, and polymers. Safety questions always come up, because regular folks and seasoned chemists share a basic concern: will this stuff hurt me if I spill it or breathe it in?
Maleimides and their analogues, including 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrrole-2,5-Dione, share a story with many synthetic chemicals: their dangers show up not always right away, but sometimes after repeated exposure. Many maleimides stand out as irritants to the skin, eyes, and airways. Anyone who’s used them without gloves might remember itching or burning. The chemicals also react easily with proteins in the body, raising the risk for allergic reactions or eczema. Chronic exposure in a poorly ventilated room has sent more than a few researchers home with headaches.
Animal studies do not let us ignore the chance for bigger problems. Some analogues in this family, when administered in large doses, have caused liver or kidney stress in test animals. Carcinogenicity remains uncertain in humans, but a chemical that bonds so quickly with proteins always brings an extra layer of caution.
During my own years in graduate research, every new maleimide or pyrrole-2,5-dione analogue came with a whiff of suspicion. Chemical suppliers required signatures, safety briefings took longer, and even the old-timers wore fresh nitrile gloves for each session. One spill during centrifugation convinced everyone to stop and rewrite the lab’s safety plan. There’s no heroism in rushing through weighing powders or piping liquids if one wrong move irritates lungs or skin for days.
Reliable risk information does not always leap out from government websites or chemical handbooks. Even so, the CDC and NIOSH list similar compounds as hazardous. They emphasize eye protection, fume hood use, and glove changes with alarming regularity. The Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) on these analogues rarely make them sound friendly. Most say ‘toxic by inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact’ and suggest strict storage, proper labeling, and controlled disposal.
Spills may look minor on a counter, but exposure adds up. Tiny airborne droplets can drift further than expected, settling on sleeves, research notes, or even coffee cups. Anyone using 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrrole-2,5-Dione analogues owes it to themselves and their co-workers to handle these compounds with practical caution: treat every unfamiliar powder as if it can bite, wear protective clothing, check local safety rules frequently, and learn the signs of exposure.
The science community values these analogues for their cross-linking abilities and chemical flexibility. Risk assessment, though, never stops at the property line. Companies, universities, and even smaller start-ups can slash accidents by investing in better local exhaust ventilation and routine skin monitoring. Teaching young lab staff about symptoms of exposure, showing exactly how to clean up after spills, and backing up good procedures with accessible first aid gear — this turns chemical handling from a hazy risk into a controlled process.
Crafting a new chemical compound goes beyond mixing things in a beaker. Picking a method starts with looking at safety and practicality. If a process calls for strong acids, harsh solvents, or high pressure, you’re already facing hurdles, both in the lab and out in the world. In my experience, choosing the recipe with the least fuss often pays off, even if the chemistry looks a bit unconventional. I’ve learned this lesson handling methylation reactions in regular glassware — methods using dimethyl sulfate seemed quick on paper, but the risks made every step tense. Swapping to milder reagents took longer, but I could breathe easier at the bench and avoid expensive protective gear.
The classic “one-pot” approach attracts chemists for good reason — throw everything into a single vessel and cook it up. Reducing transfers keeps yields higher, and cuts contamination risk. For certain compounds, particularly organics, microwave-assisted syntheses cut reaction times from hours to minutes and keep energy input lower. I learned to love this while working in a university lab, where old heating mantles barely held temperature. Often, using microwaves transformed tedious overnight waits into coffee-break-long reactions, letting the lab group get more done in less time.
Every synthesis hinges on clean, precisely measured starting materials. Impurities sneak in easily — cheap solvents, reagents stored a month too long — and the end result drops from a white crystal to a yellow mess. We used to run extra TLC plates just to keep tabs. Cryoscopes, melting point testers, or simple boiling chips make a huge difference in keeping results repeatable.
Many chemists cut corners by ordering “off-the-shelf” intermediates. The trick is making sure these are specific to the compound you want and free of leftover reactants. When preparing a pharmaceutical precursor, a batch came back with unexpected peaks on an HPLC trace — contamination that would have slipped by without that check, ruining the scale-up.
Many of the old synthetic approaches pumped out barrels of hazardous waste — think chromium oxidations or lead-based reagents. Industry and researchers shifted to greener methods both to satisfy regulations and simply to avoid the headache of clean-up. Catalytic reactions using benign metals or bio-based solvents now take priority. I once swapped out dichloromethane for ethanol in an extraction and found recovery and purity improved, plus nobody in the lab got a headache. Water-based reactions looked tricky years ago, but new surfactants and equipment keep the desired molecule in play.
Getting a shiny result at the milligram scale feels rewarding, but the real challenge comes in scaling up. Heat, mixing, and purification issues balloon as the batch size grows. At a research facility, scaling a Grignard reaction up threefold led to an unplanned fireball; slow, staged additions with plenty of cooling helped fix that. Consulting process chemists or using pilot runs before jumping to full production saves cost and prevents waste, protecting workers and equipment.
Strong lab skills make the difference. Every product meant for human or animal use goes through layers of regulatory checks, including purity, residual solvents, and thorough documentation. The best methods leave a small, well-understood set of byproducts and lend themselves to easy analysis. In professional practice, using validated routes and thorough record keeping lays a trail that others can trust and reproduce. At the end of the day, the best method takes safety, efficiency, purity, and reproducibility and keeps them in balance, never sacrificing one for the other.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | 1-methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione |
| Other names |
1-Methyl-2,5-pyrroledione 1-Methylmaleimide N-Methylmaleimide 1-Methyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione |
| Pronunciation | /waɪ ˈmɛθ.əl wʌn eɪtʃ paɪˈroʊl tu faɪv daɪˈoʊn ˈæn.ə.lɒg/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 42597-03-3 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | `load =C1=CC(=O)NC1=O` |
| Beilstein Reference | 391873 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:53325 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL2109506 |
| ChemSpider | 10984227 |
| DrugBank | DB08233 |
| ECHA InfoCard | ECHA InfoCard: 100.105.993 |
| EC Number | EC 613-348-4 |
| Gmelin Reference | 148980 |
| KEGG | C05560 |
| MeSH | D000900 |
| PubChem CID | 12504 |
| RTECS number | XW3150000 |
| UNII | KM4UL8R4A1 |
| UN number | “2811” |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C5H5NO2 |
| Molar mass | 111.10 g/mol |
| Appearance | White to off-white solid |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Density | 1.326 g/cm3 |
| Solubility in water | Soluble |
| log P | -0.14 |
| Vapor pressure | 0.00381 mmHg at 25°C |
| Acidity (pKa) | 7.3 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 7.96 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -60.6×10⁻⁶ cm³/mol |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.522 |
| Viscosity | 0.849 cP (20°C) |
| Dipole moment | 4.44 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 332.2 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -322.6 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -1462 kJ/mol |
| Hazards | |
| Main hazards | H319 Causes serious eye irritation. |
| GHS labelling | GHS02, GHS07 |
| Pictograms | GHS07 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H315: Causes skin irritation. H319: Causes serious eye irritation. H335: May cause respiratory irritation. |
| Precautionary statements | P261, P264, P271, P272, P280, P302+P352, P304+P340, P305+P351+P338, P312, P321, P333+P313, P363, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 2-1-0 |
| Flash point | 106.6 °C |
| Autoignition temperature | Autoignition temperature: 355 °C |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 oral rat 640 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose): 640 mg/kg (Oral, Rat) |
| NIOSH | NIOSH No Data |
| PEL (Permissible) | PEL (Permissible) of 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrrole-2,5-Dione Analogue: Not established |
| REL (Recommended) | 0.2 mg/m³ |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Maleimide N-Methylmaleimide Succinimide Phthalimide 1,2,5-Oxadiazole derivatives |
