Diethylethanolamine (DEAE) is the

organic compound Some chemical authorities define an organic compound as a chemical compound that contains a carbon–hydrogen or carbon–carbon bond; others consider an organic compound to be any chemical compound that contains carbon. For example, carbon-co ...

with the molecular formula . A colorless liquid, 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), hypothesized genus of fossil birds that was composed of fossilized parts of unre ...

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 of ...

Applications

Diethylethanolamine is used as a corrosion inhibitor in steam and condensate lines by neutralizing

carbonic acid Carbonic acid is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . The molecule rapidly converts to water and carbon dioxide in the presence of water. However, in the absence of water, it is quite stable at room temperature. The interconversion ...

and scavenging oxygen. Diethylethanolamine reacts 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 ...

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

ion exchange chromatography Ion chromatography (or ion-exchange chromatography) is a form of chromatography that separates ions and ionizable polar molecules based on their affinity to the ion exchanger. It works on almost any kind of charged molecule—including small ...

. it can decrease the surface tension of water when the temperature is increased. Solutions of DEAE absorb

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalent bond, covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in a gas state at room temperature and at norma ...

(CO₂).

Preparation

Diethylethanolamine is prepared commercially by the reaction of

diethylamine Diethylamine is an organic compound with the formula . It is classified as a secondary amine. It is a flammable, volatile weakly alkaline liquid that is miscible with most solvents. It is a colorless liquid, but commercial samples often appear br ...

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 ...

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

nucleophilic substitution In chemistry, a nucleophilic substitution (SN) is a class of chemical reactions in which an electron-rich chemical species (known as a nucleophile) replaces a functional group within another electron-deficient molecule (known as the electrophile) ...

of diethylamine and

2-chloroethanol 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 lungs. The

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

and the

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

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 Hydroxyethyl compounds