The simplest member of the imidazole family is imidazole itself, colorless to pale yellow crystalline solid with a weak aminelike odor; soluble in water and alcohol, melts at 89 C, boils at 256 C. Imidazoles are poorly soluble in water generally, but are dissolved in organic solvents, such as chloroform, propylene glycol, and polyethoxylated castor oil.