▁comp ounds ▁containing ▁such ▁rings ▁are ▁also ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁fur ans . ▁ ▁Fur an ▁is ▁a ▁color less , ▁fl amm able , ▁highly ▁vol atile ▁liquid ▁with ▁a ▁bo iling ▁point ▁close ▁to ▁room ▁temperature . ▁It ▁is ▁sol ub le ▁in ▁common ▁organ ic ▁sol vent s , ▁including ▁alco hol , ▁ ether , ▁and ▁ac et one , ▁and ▁is ▁slightly ▁sol ub le ▁in ▁water . ▁ ▁Its ▁od or ▁is ▁" strong , ▁eth ere al ; ▁ch lor o form - like ". ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁to xic ▁and ▁may ▁be ▁car cin ogen ic ▁in ▁humans . ▁Fur an ▁is ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁starting ▁point ▁to ▁other ▁special ity ▁chemical s . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁The ▁name ▁" fur an " ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁Latin ▁fur fur , ▁which ▁means ▁bran . ▁The ▁first ▁fur an ▁derivative ▁to ▁be ▁described ▁was ▁ 2 - f uro ic ▁acid , ▁by ▁Carl ▁Wilhelm ▁Sch ee le ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 0 . ▁Another ▁important ▁derivative , ▁fur f ural , ▁was ▁reported ▁by ▁Johann ▁Wolfgang ▁D ö bere iner ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 1 ▁and ▁character ised ▁nine ▁years ▁later ▁by ▁John ▁St en house . ▁Fur an ▁itself ▁was ▁first ▁prepared ▁by ▁Heinrich ▁Lim pr icht ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 , ▁although ▁he ▁called ▁it ▁" t et raph en ol " ▁( as ▁if ▁it ▁were ▁a ▁four - car bon ▁analog ▁to ▁phen ol , ▁C 6