2-Hydro-5-Benzoylthiophene, often flagged by the CAS number unique to its composition, draws interest because its backbone mixes aromatic stability with the slightly rebellious nature of sulfur in the thiophene ring. The full formula spells it out: C11H8OS. One glance at its structure reveals a benzoyl group hanging from the fifth carbon on the five-membered thiophene ring, with a hydrogen dropped onto the second position, introducing a twist that shifts both physical and chemical attitude. Whether called a solid, a crystal, a powder, or found in pearly flakes, its real-life form wraps around user intent—some batches flow as white to off-white flakes, others crunch under a spatula as crystalline powder, and there's the unmistakable organic smell you get working at the bench.
2-Hydro-5-Benzoylthiophene draws chemists back again and again, both as a specialty product and as a raw material. Its sturdy benzoyl-thiophene skeleton slots into synthesis routes for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and maybe even certain solid-state materials. Makers of specialty dyes, intermediates for bigger molecules, and tweak-hungry organic chemists keep a jar of it around. The compound steps in when a lab project needs aromatic rigidity with a bit of sulfur-driven reactivity. Practical applications stretch from laboratory R&D to scale-up, especially where benzoyl and thiophene chemistry collide. Shelf life remains strong under dry, dark storage, and the flakes or powder suit conveyor and batch-fed processes. Questions of whether to buy by the kilogram or in liter equivalents pop up, reflecting industry demand swings.
Calling out the particular specs that matter: the molecular weight clocks in around 188.25 g/mol, helping with batch calculations. Density lands around 1.31–1.33 g/cm3 in the solid state, great for dosing and working out solubility in most organic solvents. Melting brings ranges, usually 78–83 °C, with stability up to higher temps unless acid or base gets tossed in. The crystals do not dissolve in water but break apart well in DMSO, DMF, and chloroform—a nod to its hydrophobic, aromatic nature. Looking at it in bulk, the flakes press flat, while the powder clumps unless kept dry, and the pearls—when you can get them—roll without much sticking, a benefit in continuous equipment.
Chewing on day-to-day experience with 2-Hydro-5-Benzoylthiophene, the density calls for careful weighing if using fine balances, as static can lift the lighter flakes. Transfer and scooping work best with solid spatulas, no rubber—static and friction only build up. Pouring the material into solution tanks or reactor vessels kicks up dust surprisingly quickly, so dust masks and local air extraction pay off. Material kept in sealed containers resists moisture pick-up, but open pans left on lab benches in humid climates can clump, which challenges dosing for larger mixtures. For those weighing production requirements, the bulk density may come into play—roughly half to three-quarters standard solid organic powders, depending on grind and packing pressure. So, buying by volume or mass must take storage and transfer equipment into account, not just list specs.
Trade has its own rules, and 2-Hydro-5-Benzoylthiophene fits into the Harmonized System (HS Code), often between 2934.99 or a more niche entry for organo-sulfur compounds. Import, export, and storage require correct labeling—local customs watch for proper documentation, including full molecular name, formula, and intended industrial, research, or lab use. Many regulatory bodies ask for detailed storage and safety measures due to the aromatic and sulfur aspects. On SDS sheets, you'll find both the molecular formula and a run-down of physical constants, echoing the detail needed for compliant movement across borders or into warehouses.
Practical lab safety means reading more than just “handle with care.” 2-Hydro-5-Benzoylthiophene isn’t wildly toxic, but prolonged skin contact brings irritation, and organic dust sneaks into lungs if air controls lag behind. The salts and derivatives, especially where reducing or oxidizing agents enter the mix, can crank up hazard levels. Solid waste streams from pilot plants or large-scale synthesis deserve correct handling under chemical regulations, never just tossed in general bins. Spills on the bench often generate a faint, aromatic funk, a cue to run the fume hood and sweep up with non-sparking tools. I’ve seen skin irritation after repeated, ungloved exposure, so full PPE with gloves and goggles needs to be routine, not just for industrial-sized batches. Disposal should wind through licensed chemical waste, and though it doesn’t seed reactiveness in landfill environments, environmental codes demand triple-checking the chain of custody from lab to destruction.
On paper, 2-Hydro-5-Benzoylthiophene might look like just another aromatic derivative. The reality—its structure makes it more than a footnote in academic chemistry. The fusion between benzoyl and thiophene brings a balance between lipophilicity and electron-withdrawing activity—making it a building block for further functionalization. The reactivity focuses at the 2- and 5-positions on the thiophene, lending itself to acylation, reduction, or halogen-laced modifications. For chemists, it’s a winning situation as ring closure, condensation, and cyclization reactions do not often cause decomposition or off-color tar formation (something all too common with less robust aromatics). The solid, crystalline nature of the pure compound means X-ray diffraction structures show tidy packing, with interesting π-π stacking that occasionally matters for organic electronics.
In the broader chemical supply chain, 2-Hydro-5-Benzoylthiophene powers innovation because it walks a fine line between raw material and specialty intermediate. Its presence gives downstream makers a jump-off point to create sulfoxides, extended thiophenes, or branded molecules for pharma and pigment technology. Processing at scale brings up supply chain worries—the raw material purity, batch-to-batch consistency, and supplier reliability stand at the core of production planning. Shortages, whether from upstream precursor unavailability or transport disruptions, can stall entire synthesis runs. Strong supplier relationships, forward contracts, and in-house purity assays prove their worth during shortage cycles.
Keeping all the above real, the biggest ongoing challenges come down to reliable sourcing, safe handling, and clear communication across teams. Solving raw material logjams means investing in multiple supply sources, possibly qualifying backup grades, and maintaining in-house testing for contaminants that may sneak in from bulk shipments. Safety training should never be a one-time event; regular refreshers, open lines to environmental health and safety, and lessons learned from small incidents matter. Development chemists, scale-up leads, and production engineers can lower incident rates by sharing on-the-ground experience—a tip that worked last year might save a ton of headache in the next big batch campaign. Combining sensible procedures, real knowledge from the lab or plant floor, and open talk about hazards builds resilience, not just compliance.
