Diethylethanolamine (DEAE) is a chemical compound with the molecular formula C₆H₁₅NO. It is used as a

precursor Precursor or Precursors may refer to: *Precursor (religion), a forerunner, predecessor ** The Precursor, John the Baptist Science and technology * Precursor (bird), a hypothesized genus of fossil birds that was composed of fossilized parts of unr ...

in the production of a variety of chemical commodities such as the local anesthetic

procaine Procaine is a local anesthetic drug of the amino ester group. It is most commonly used in dental procedures to numb the area around a tooth and is also used to reduce the pain of intramuscular injection of penicillin. Owing to the ubiquity ...

. It can be reacted with

4-aminobenzoic acid 4-Aminobenzoic acid (also known as ''para''-aminobenzoic acid or PABA because the two functional groups are attached to the benzene ring across from one another in the ''para'' position) is an organic compound with the formula H2NC6H4CO2H. PABA i ...

to make procaine. DEAE can be used as a precursor for DEAE-cellulose resin, which is commonly used in

ion exchange chromatography Ion chromatography (or ion-exchange chromatography) separates ions and polar molecules based on their affinity to the ion exchanger. It works on almost any kind of charged molecule—including large proteins, small nucleotides, and amino acid ...

. DEAE can also be conveniently obtained from renewable sources. It is chemically stable and able to absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from its surroundings. In solution, it can decrease the surface tension of water when the temperature is increased.

Applications

Diethylethanolamine is used as a corrosion inhibitor in steam and condensate lines by neutralizing carbonic acid and scavenging oxygen.

Preparation

Diethylethanolamine is prepared commercially by the reaction of

diethylamine Diethylamine is an organic compound with the formula (CH3CH2)2NH. It is a secondary amine. It is a flammable, weakly alkaline liquid that is miscible with most solvents. It is a colorless liquid, but commercial samples often appear brown due to im ...

and

ethylene oxide Ethylene oxide is an organic compound with the chemical formula, formula . It is a cyclic ether and the simplest epoxide: a three-membered Ring (chemistry), ring consisting of one oxygen atom and two carbon atoms. Ethylene oxide is a colorless a ...

. :(C₂H₅)₂NH + cyclo(CH₂CH₂)O → (C₂H₅)₂NCH₂CH₂OH It is also possible to prepare it by the reaction of diethylamine and

ethylene chlorohydrin 2-Chloroethanol (also called ethylene chlorohydrin or glycol chlorohydrin) is an organic chemical compound with the chemical formula HOCH2CH2Cl and the ''simplest'' beta-halohydrin (chlorohydrin). This colorless liquid has a pleasant ether-like od ...

Safety

Diethylethanolamine is an irritant to the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. The

Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration'' (OSHA ) is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. Congress established the agenc ...

and the

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, ) is the United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH is part of the C ...

have set occupational exposure limits for workers handling the chemical at 10 ppm (50 mg/m³) over an eight-hour workday.

References

{{Reflist Diethylamino compounds Primary alcohols Ethanolamines