Applications
Glyoxal is used to prepare 4,5-dihydroxy-2-imidazolidinone by condensation with urea. It finds application in leather tanning process, textile finishes and paper coatings. It is an important building block in the synthesis of imidazoles. It acts as a solubilizer and cross-linking agent in polymer chemistry. Further, it is used as a fixative for histology to preserve cells in order to examine under a microscope.

Solubility
Miscible with water, methanol and dimethylsulfoxide.

Notes
Moisture and heat sensitive. Incompatible with strong oxidizing agents, strong reducing agent, oxygen, peroxides, amides, amines, hydroxy-containing materials, nitric acid and aldehydes.