Topic summary
Triton X-100
Triton X-100 (C
14H
22O(C
2H
4O)n) is a nonionicsurfactant that has a hydrophilicpolyethylene oxide chain (on average it has 9.5 ethylene oxide units) and an aromatic hydrocarbonlipophilic or hydrophobic group. The hydrocarbon group is a 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)-phenyl group. Triton X-100 is closely related to IGEPAL CA-630, which might differ from it mainly in having slightly shorter ethylene oxide chains. As a result, Triton X-100 is slightly more hydrophilic than Igepal CA-630 thus these two detergents may not be considered functionally interchangeable for most applications.
Triton X-100 was originally a registered trademark of Rohm and Haas Co. It was subsequently purchased by Union Carbide and then acquired by Dow Chemical Company upon the acquisition of Union Carbide. Soon afterward (in 2009), Dow also acquired Rohm & Haas Co.