2,2′-Iminodiethanol · 99% min, DEA 85% low-freeze grade, LR and AR grades
Diethanolamine is the secondary member of the ethanolamine family — two hydroxyethyl arms on one nitrogen — and a long-standing choice for refinery gas treating, textile and metalworking auxiliaries and diethanolamide surfactants. Chelora Amines supplies it worldwide to refinery, surfactant, textile, agrochemical and chemical plants across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas, as well as throughout India, with a batch-wise COA and SDS on every dispatch.
48.04 + 11.09 + 14.01 + 32.00 = 105.14 g/mol
Diethanolamine, usually shortened to DEA and also called 2,2′-iminodiethanol, is a secondary amine carrying two hydroxyethyl groups. It is a milder base than monoethanolamine, much less volatile, and very soluble in water.
Pure DEA melts at about 28 °C, so depending on the season it arrives as a white crystalline solid or a viscous liquid. Buyers either melt it out of drums, store it in a heated tank, or choose DEA 85% — a low-freeze grade with about 15% water that stays liquid at ordinary temperatures.
Like the other ethanolamines, DEA is made by reacting ethylene oxide with ammonia and separating the MEA, DEA and TEA by vacuum distillation. As a secondary amine it can form N-nitrosodiethanolamine with nitrosating agents, which is why it is restricted in cosmetics in several markets and why nitrite contact should be avoided.
| Chemical name | 2,2′-Iminodiethanol (diethanolamine) |
| Common synonyms | Diethanolamine, DEA, bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amine, 2,2′-dihydroxydiethylamine, iminodiethanol |
| CAS number | 111-42-2 |
| EC / EINECS number | 203-868-0 |
| HS / HSN code | 2922 12 (harmonised heading used worldwide; HSN 2922 12 on Indian invoices) |
| Molecular formula | C₄H₁₁NO₂ ((HOCH₂CH₂)₂NH) |
| Molecular weight | 105.14 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline solid or colourless viscous liquid, depending on temperature |
| Odour | Faint, ammoniacal |
| Melting point | About 28 °C |
| Boiling point | About 269 °C (decomposes) |
| Density | About 1.09 g/cm³ at 30 °C (liquid) |
| Vapour pressure | Below 0.01 hPa at 20 °C |
| Solubility in water | Completely miscible |
| pKa of conjugate acid | 8.88 at 25 °C |
| pH | About 11 (100 g/L solution) |
| Flash point | About 138 °C (closed cup) |
| Auto-ignition temperature | About 360 °C |
| Transport | Generally not regulated as a dangerous good for transport — confirm on the SDS for your batch |
Figures are typical literature values for orientation. Values for the material you order are stated on its Certificate of Analysis and Safety Data Sheet.
One N–H and two hydroxyl groups explain what DEA is bought for: a moderate base that absorbs acid gases, forms salts and amides, and cyclises into heterocycles. These are the jobs process chemists and formulators reach for it to do.
Absorbs CO₂ and H₂S reversibly in aqueous solution. Compared with MEA it has a lower heat of reaction and better tolerance of COS and CS₂, so it is common in refinery gas treating.
2 R₂NH + CO₂ ⇌ R₂NCOO⁻ + R₂NH₂⁺Condenses with fatty acids or methyl esters to give fatty diethanolamides such as cocamide DEA — thickeners, foam stabilisers and emulsifiers for industrial and household cleaners.
RCOOCH₃ + DEA → RCON(CH₂CH₂OH)₂Neutralises sulfonic, fatty and acidic herbicide acids to give soluble DEA salts, including the DEA salt of 2,4-D used in liquid herbicide formulations.
RCOOH + DEA → RCOO⁻ DEAH⁺Acid-catalysed dehydration of DEA closes the ring to morpholine, one of the industrial routes to this corrosion inhibitor and rubber chemical.
DEA → morpholine + H₂OCatalytic dehydrogenation converts DEA to iminodiacetic acid, a key intermediate for glyphosate herbicide and chelating resins.
DEA → HN(CH₂COOH)₂Raises pH and forms protective soaps and borates in metalworking fluids, coolants and gas-treating circuits.
pKa 8.88 at 25 °CThe hydroxyl groups react with ethylene or propylene oxide to give polyols and amine-initiated polyethers used in polyurethane foams.
DEA + n EO → polyolAs a secondary amine, DEA reacts with nitrites and other nitrosating agents to form N-nitrosodiethanolamine. Keep nitrites out of DEA-containing formulations.
R₂NH + HNO₂ → R₂N–NOProcess notes. DEA is solid below about 28 °C, so melt it gently and evenly — a heated room or low-temperature drum heater — rather than applying local heat, which darkens the product. Neutralisation and amidation are exothermic. If nitrosamine control is part of your specification, keep nitrites and nitrosating agents away from the product and the finished formulation.
Discuss your processDEA comes from the same reactor as MEA and TEA. Knowing how it is made explains why the specification controls MEA, TEA, water and colour — they all leave the reactor together.
Ethylene oxide is fed into aqueous ammonia, with the ammonia ratio set to favour the di-substituted product.
The exothermic reaction runs in the liquid phase under pressure and controlled temperature.
The reactor delivers MEA, DEA and TEA together with unreacted ammonia and water.
Ammonia and water are stripped, then vacuum distillation separates MEA, DEA and TEA.
DEA is tested, then filled molten into drums or heated tankers, or diluted with water to make DEA 85%.
The real quality question is not just "how much DEA" but "what else came with it". Residual MEA is a stronger, more reactive primary amine; residual TEA is a tertiary amine that will not form amides; and water dilutes the active and changes the melting behaviour.
Colour matters in surfactants and textile auxiliaries, and nitrite content matters wherever nitrosamines are controlled. If your downstream use is sensitive to any of these, say so at enquiry stage and we will match the batch rather than send the standard commercial cut.
In sealed original packing, stored cool and dry, DEA is normally used within twelve months, and we recommend a re-check of assay and colour after that before a critical batch. To use solid product, warm the closed drum evenly to about 40–50 °C and mix before drawing — never apply a flame or local hot plate.
Bulk users usually keep DEA in a heated, insulated tank held a few degrees above its melting point under nitrogen. If heated storage is not practical, DEA 85% stays liquid at normal temperatures. A retained sample of each batch is held here, so any query can be tested against the original.
Tell us the application and your storage conditions and we will confirm the grade. Pure DEA suits sites with heated storage; DEA 85% suits sites without it.
Pure DEA for gas treating, diethanolamides, morpholine and general synthesis. Solid below about 28 °C.
DEA with about 15% water, liquid at normal temperatures for easy pumping and dosing.
Tighter colour and related-amine limits for surfactant and textile auxiliary producers.
Tighter limits on MEA, TEA and water for R&D, method development and QC use.
| Parameter | Test method | Typical specification |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance (molten) | Visual | Clear liquid, free from suspended matter |
| Purity (DEA) | GC | ≥ 99.0 % w/w |
| Monoethanolamine | GC | ≤ 0.5 % w/w |
| Triethanolamine | GC | ≤ 0.5 % w/w |
| Water | Karl Fischer | ≤ 0.3 % w/w |
| Colour (molten) | APHA | ≤ 20 |
| Freezing point | Cooling curve | ≥ 27 °C |
| Iron (Fe) | AAS / ICP | ≤ 1 ppm |
Indicative specification for planning. The controlling document is the Certificate of Analysis issued for your batch. If your process needs tighter limits, say so at enquiry stage and we will quote against your specification.
This is the most common question at enquiry stage. The answer depends on whether your site can melt and keep DEA warm, and on whether water is acceptable in your process.
| Point of comparison | DEA ≥ 99% | DEA 85% (low-freeze) |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | Gas treating, diethanolamides, morpholine, synthesis | Cleaners, textile auxiliaries, metalworking fluids, dosing systems |
| Physical state at 20 °C | Solid | Liquid |
| Water content | ≤ 0.3% | About 15% |
| Handling | Drum melting or heated tank needed | Ordinary liquid handling |
| Packs | Drums, heated ISO tanks | Drums, IBCs |
| Amine per kilogram delivered | Highest | Lower — you also pay to move water |
| Transport classification | Generally not regulated — see SDS | Generally not regulated — see SDS |
Three products from one ethylene oxide reactor, with very different behaviour in a formulation. Ordering the wrong one — or the wrong grade of the right one — is the most common and most expensive mistake with this family.
| Property | Monoethanolamine (MEA) | Diethanolamine (DEA) | Triethanolamine (TEA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAS number | 141-43-5 | 111-42-2 | 102-71-6 |
| Formula | HOCH₂CH₂NH₂ | (HOCH₂CH₂)₂NH | (HOCH₂CH₂)₃N |
| Molecular weight | 61.08 | 105.14 | 149.19 |
| Amine class | Primary — two N–H bonds | Secondary — one N–H bond | Tertiary — no N–H bond |
| Melting point | 10.3 °C | 28 °C | 21.6 °C |
| Boiling point | 170 °C | 269 °C (decomposes) | 335 °C |
| pKa of conjugate acid | 9.50 | 8.88 | 7.76 |
| State at 25 °C | Clear, mobile liquid | Solid or very viscous liquid | Viscous liquid (supercools easily) |
| Typical outlets | Gas treating, detergent salts, ethanolamides, ethyleneamines, wood preservation | Gas treating, diethanolamides, textile and metalworking auxiliaries, morpholine, iminodiacetic acid | Cement grinding aids, cosmetics and soaps, metalworking fluids, esterquats, titanate chelates |
A warning about abbreviations. DEA can mean diethanolamine or diethylamine, and TEA can mean triethanolamine or triethylamine — completely different products with different hazards. Triethanolamine is also sold as TEA 85 (with about 15% DEA) and TEA 99, which behave differently in cosmetics and cement. Always write the full chemical name, CAS number and grade on the enquiry and the purchase order.
See the full amine rangeDEA consumption is spread across gas treating, surfactants, textile and metalworking auxiliaries and chemical intermediates. Here is the full picture, sector by sector.
Removes CO₂ and H₂S from refinery and natural gas streams, with better tolerance of COS and CS₂ than MEA and lower regeneration energy.
Feedstock for fatty diethanolamides used as thickeners, foam boosters and emulsifiers in industrial and household cleaners, and for DEA salts of sulfonic acids.
Used in textile auxiliaries — softeners, scouring agents, dye-bath additives and fibre lubricants — and as an intermediate for cationic finishes.
Provides alkalinity, corrosion inhibition and emulsion stability in soluble oils and semi-synthetic coolants.
Forms the DEA salt of acidic herbicides such as 2,4-D, and is the raw material for iminodiacetic acid used in glyphosate manufacture.
Feeds morpholine production, polyurethane polyols and catalysts, and a range of pharmaceutical and fine-chemical intermediates.
Used with TEA in some cement grinding aids and concrete admixtures.
A component of corrosion inhibitors, fuel and lubricant additives, and polish and wax emulsions.
If you are mapping a value chain or looking for the product one step down from where you are, this is where diethanolamine ends up. Several of these are chemicals we can also source for you.
| Derivative | Made by | End use |
|---|---|---|
| Cocamide DEA and fatty diethanolamides | Amidation with fatty acids or methyl esters | Thickeners, foam stabilisers and emulsifiers in cleaners |
| Morpholine | Acid-catalysed dehydration | Boiler water treatment, rubber chemicals and pharma |
| Iminodiacetic acid (IDA) | Catalytic dehydrogenation | Glyphosate intermediate and chelating resins |
| 2,4-D DEA salt | Neutralisation of 2,4-D acid | Liquid herbicide formulations |
| DEA lauryl sulfate and DEA salts | Neutralisation of sulfonic and fatty acids | Detergents and industrial cleaners |
| Amine-initiated polyols | Alkoxylation with EO or PO | Rigid and flexible polyurethane foams |
| Textile softener intermediates | Esterification and quaternisation | Cationic softeners and finishing agents |
Looking for one of these rather than the amine itself? Ask us — several are within our sourcing network, and we can quote the derivative and the raw material together.
Every container carries the Chelora Amines label with product name, grade, net weight, batch number, manufacturing date, UN number where applicable and hazard pictograms.
HDPE and MS drums of pure DEA (solid at room temperature) or DEA 85%.
Forklift-ready totes for DEA 85%, the liquid grade, with bottom valves.
500 g to 25 kg packs for laboratory, pilot and qualification work.
Heated, insulated ISO tanks and tankers for molten DEA.
Share your monthly consumption and whether you have heated storage or drum-melting capability, and we will recommend the grade, pack size and delivery schedule that keeps your plant running without excess inventory. Export consignments are packed in UN-specification or export-grade containers, palletised and stretch-wrapped, and shipped FOB, CIF or CFR through Nhava Sheva and Mundra.
Plan my supplyDiethanolamine is harmful if swallowed, causes skin irritation and serious eye damage, and may cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure. The notes below are a summary for planning only — always work to the Safety Data Sheet supplied with your consignment and your own site risk assessment.
Diethanolamine is generally not classified as a dangerous good for transport, which keeps freight straightforward. Documentation, labelling and chemical-inventory requirements still apply at the destination.
| Item | Classification |
|---|---|
| Proper shipping name | Not regulated as a dangerous good in most modes — confirm on the SDS |
| UN number | None assigned for transport in most modes |
| Labels | GHS hazard labelling for supply (eye damage, health hazard) |
| Modes | Road, sea and air as non-dangerous cargo |
| Temperature | Heated ISO tanks for molten bulk; drums ship ambient |
| Segregation | Away from acids, oxidisers and nitrites |
DEA is restricted in cosmetic products in the EU and several other markets because of nitrosamine formation, so tell us if your product is going into personal care. For industrial use, we confirm any destination-country inventory listing, such as REACH, before the shipment is booked.
Start account opening| Parameter | Specification | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance (molten) | Clear liquid | Complies |
| Purity (GC) | ≥ 99.0 % | Complies |
| Monoethanolamine | ≤ 0.5 % | Complies |
| Water (KF) | ≤ 0.3 % | Complies |
| Colour (APHA) | ≤ 20 | Complies |
Diethanolamine is checked before dispatch and each consignment leaves with the paperwork your QC, stores and accounts teams need on day one.
The numbers on a Certificate of Analysis are only useful if you know how they were produced. These are the methods behind the figures on ours, and the checks worth repeating at your own goods-inward.
Separates diethanolamine from the related amines made in the same reactor, and gives the assay and impurity profile that matter most to your formulation.
An independent check on total amine content, useful as a quick goods-inward confirmation before a drum is released to production.
Water determination, which matters for anhydrous grades and confirms strength on aqueous grades.
A visual platinum–cobalt comparison. A rising colour value is the earliest sign that a pack has been exposed to air, heat or held too long.
Fast confirmation that the material is what the label says, and a simple way to spot dilution or the wrong pack.
Pure DEA freezes at about 28 °C; a low freezing point flags water or related amines, and confirms the grade before a drum is released.
A sample from every dispatched batch is held here, so a query months later can be settled against the original material rather than an argument.
Batch number on the label ties back to the COA, the test record and the supply lot, which is what your auditor will ask to see.
Where your customer or regulator needs an independent result, we can arrange analysis at a NABL-accredited laboratory before dispatch.
Five steps for a first order of diethanolamine. Repeat orders follow the same route on a schedule that matches your consumption.
Grade, quantity, pack size and delivery location or destination port.
We confirm the grade for your application and quote, usually within 24 hours.
The batch is tested and the COA, SDS and invoice details are prepared.
Labelled packs move by road, or in export packing for overseas buyers.
Material reaches your gate and repeat dispatches are scheduled to your usage.
Diethanolamine is a commodity on a price list. What separates suppliers is grade flexibility, the paperwork and the answer you get when something is not routine.
Diethanolamine sits alongside more than fifty other amines we stock, from ethanolamines to fatty amines. Your purchase team raises one enquiry, compares one quote and manages one vendor record instead of six.
Different purities and supply forms of diethanolamine are available, so you are not forced to redesign a formulation around the only grade your supplier happens to carry.
COA, SDS, correct HSN and HS codes, transport declarations and certificates of origin are prepared with the consignment, not chased afterwards by your logistics team.
Tell us your limits on purity, related amines, water or colour and we quote against them, rather than sending the standard cut and letting your QC department find out.
Once we know your monthly draw we hold and release material on a schedule, so you carry less inventory than you otherwise would.
Describe the application rather than the product code and we will tell you which grade fits — and say so plainly when a different amine would serve you better.
Buyers who order diethanolamine usually source these from the same list. Open any product for its specification, grades and packing, or see the full product range.
Container shipments to buyers on five continents, plus road dispatch inside India. Tell us your country and destination port and we will quote landed terms, transit time and the documentation your customs broker will ask for.
United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa.
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.
Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Czechia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and the Caribbean, shipped in UN-specification packaging with full DG documentation.
| Incoterms quoted | EXW, FOB, CFR, CIF and DAP, depending on your destination and preference |
| Load ports | Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and Mundra, with Chennai and Kolkata used for eastbound routings |
| Container options | Full container loads, and consolidated LCL shipments for smaller quantities |
| Typical container fill | Around 80 drums of 200 kg, or roughly 18 to 20 IBC totes, in a 20 ft container |
| Packing for export | UN-specification drums and totes, palletised, strapped and stretch-wrapped, with DG labelling |
| Air freight | Possible for small quantities, within dangerous goods limits where the product is classified |
| Payment terms | Advance, irrevocable letter of credit or agreed credit terms for established accounts |
| Before first shipment | Company credentials, end-use declaration and any import permit the destination country requires |
Most delays in quoting diethanolamine come from a missing line in the enquiry, not from availability. Send these eight details and a firm price usually comes back the same day.
Not sure of some of it yet? Send what you have. A description of the application and an approximate monthly volume is enough for us to come back with a recommended grade, a pack plan and an indicative price.
Send an enquiryPlain definitions of the words that appear on a diethanolamine specification, label and shipping document.
Short answers to what purchase, plant and QC teams ask us most about this product. Anything else, ask us directly.
Send the grade, quantity, pack size and your delivery address or destination port. We come back with a price, the documents that go with the batch and a dispatch or shipping plan, usually within 24 hours.