N-Formyl Morpholine (NFM) | 99.5% Purity, CAS 4394-85-8
What’s Really Driving Demand for N-Formyl Morpholine(NFM) in 2025
If you work around aromatics extraction or gas treating, you’ve probably heard the chatter. To be honest, it’s not hype—N-Formyl Morpholine(NFM) has quietly become a go-to selective solvent across refineries and chemical plants. I’ve walked units where one tweak—moving to a tighter spec NFM—nudged yields in a way spreadsheets couldn’t ignore.
Quick Specs (real-world use may vary)
| Product | N-Formyl Morpholine(NFM) |
| CAS No. | 4394-85-8 |
| Formula / MW | C5H9NO2 / 115.13 |
| Appearance | Colorless–pale yellow liquid |
| Purity (GC) | ≥ 99.0% (typical ≈99.5%) |
| Water (KF) | ≤ 0.2% (typical ≈0.10%) |
| Color (APHA) | ≤ 30 (typical ≈20) |
| Boiling point | ≈ 240–245 °C |
| Density (20 °C) | ≈ 1.16–1.18 g/cm³ |
| Shelf life | 12–24 months sealed, cool/dry storage |
| Origin | Jinling Mansions No.106-1 East Yuhua Rd., Shijiazhuang, Hebei, China |
Where it’s used (and why it works)
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- Aromatics extraction (BTX) as a selective solvent—steady selectivity and low volatility reduce losses.
- Natural gas and syngas treating—physical absorption of acid gases helps cut H2S/CO2 slip.
- Fine chemical synthesis—formylation chemistry and specialty solvent roles.
- Catalyst media—stable polarity, decent thermal window.
Many customers say swapping to tighter moisture control in N-Formyl Morpholine(NFM) trimmed foaming and cleaned up downstream heat balances. It seems that small impurities can snowball in extraction columns—no surprise to operators, to be fair.
Process flow and QC (how it’s typically made)
Materials: morpholine, formic acid (or ethyl formate), acid catalyst. Method: controlled exothermic formylation, neutralization, then vacuum fractionation for high-purity N-Formyl Morpholine(NFM). QA/QC: GC assay, Karl Fischer water (ASTM E1064), density (ASTM D4052), color (ASTM D1209), and stability checks under light/heat. Typical service life is 12–24 months if sealed; open-drum handling shortens it—real-world use may vary.
Customization options
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- Purity tiers: 99.0%, 99.5%+ for aromatics units.
- Water spec: 500–1000 ppm on request (tighter KF control).
- Packaging: 200 kg drums, 1,000 L IBC, ISO tank for continuous units.
- Documentation: COA, SDS, REACH status; ISO 9001 traceability.
Vendor snapshot (what buyers compare)
| Vendor | Purity/Water | Packaging | Certs | Lead Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sincere Chemicals | ≈99.5% / ≤0.10% | Drum, IBC, ISO tank | ISO 9001, REACH | 7–15 days | Strong BTX track record |
| Regional Supplier A | ≥99.0% / ≤0.20% | Drum | ISO 9001 | 2–4 weeks | Budget option |
| Global Trader B | Varies | Mixed | SDS, COA | Stock-dependent | Check batch-to-batch |
Case notes from the field
Refinery (SE Asia): bumping to 99.5% N-Formyl Morpholine(NFM) and 0.1% max water trimmed solvent circulation by ≈3% and improved aromatics recovery ~1.5–3%—operator feedback, not lab theory. Gas unit (MENA): better dehydration upstream plus tighter NFM water spec reduced foaming events by half over a quarter.
Testing standards, safety, and compliance
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- GC assay for purity; Water by Karl Fischer (ASTM E1064).
- Density by ASTM D4052; Color APHA by ASTM D1209.
- Typical certifications: ISO 9001:2015 QMS, REACH registration/notification where applicable.
- Handling: closed systems, dry nitrogen padding recommended; consult SDS.
Industries: petrochemical, refinery aromatics units, gas processing, fine chemicals, pharma intermediates (as solvent/reagent). I guess the broader trend is simple: stable solvency power with predictable regeneration behavior—operators like boring solvents that just work.
Authoritative citations
- European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Substance info: N-Formylmorpholine, CAS 4394-85-8.
- PubChem Compound Summary: N-Formylmorpholine (CAS 4394-85-8), National Center for Biotechnology Information.
- ASTM E1064 – Standard Test Method for Water in Organic Liquids by Coulometric Karl Fischer.
- ASTM D4052 – Standard Test Method for Density and Relative Density of Liquids by Digital Density Meter.
Post time: Oct . 17, 2025 13:30
