1-Amino-2-propanol · ≥ 99% commercial grade, LR and AR grades, drums to ISO tanks
Monoisopropanolamine is a primary amino alcohol with a methyl branch — the isopropanol cousin of MEA — valued in metalworking fluids, waterborne coatings, emulsifiers and personal care. Chelora Amines supplies it worldwide to metalworking, coatings, personal care, 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.
36.03 + 9.07 + 14.01 + 16.00 = 75.11 g/mol
Monoisopropanolamine, usually shortened to MIPA and also called 1-amino-2-propanol or isopropanolamine, is a primary amine with a secondary hydroxyl group and a methyl branch. It behaves much like monoethanolamine but stays liquid at lower temperatures and gives softer, less tacky soaps and amides.
It is a clear, colourless to pale yellow, slightly viscous liquid with a mild ammoniacal odour, fully miscible with water. It freezes at about −2 °C, so it is easier to store in cold climates than MEA. Like other amines it absorbs carbon dioxide and water from the air, so sealed packing matters for colour and assay.
Industrially, MIPA is made by reacting propylene oxide with ammonia. The reaction gives MIPA, diisopropanolamine and triisopropanolamine together, separated by distillation — which is why specifications control DIPA and water content.
| Chemical name | 1-Aminopropan-2-ol (monoisopropanolamine) |
| Common synonyms | Monoisopropanolamine, MIPA, isopropanolamine, 1-amino-2-propanol, 2-hydroxypropylamine |
| CAS number | 78-96-6 |
| EC / EINECS number | 201-162-7 |
| HS / HSN code | 2922 19 (harmonised heading used worldwide; HSN 2922 19 on Indian invoices) |
| Molecular formula | C₃H₉NO (CH₃CH(OH)CH₂NH₂) |
| Molecular weight | 75.11 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear, colourless to pale yellow liquid |
| Odour | Mild, ammoniacal |
| Melting / freezing point | About −2 °C |
| Boiling point | About 160 °C |
| Density | About 0.96–0.97 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Vapour pressure | About 0.5–1 hPa at 20 °C |
| Solubility in water | Completely miscible |
| pH | Strongly alkaline in aqueous solution |
| Flash point | About 72–77 °C (closed cup) |
| Auto-ignition temperature | About 370 °C |
| UN number | UN 2735, Amines, liquid, corrosive, n.o.s. (1-amino-2-propanol), Class 8, Packing Group III |
Figures are typical literature values for orientation. Values for the material you order are stated on its Certificate of Analysis and Safety Data Sheet.
A primary amine and a secondary hydroxyl on a branched three-carbon chain explain what MIPA is used for: neutralising acids, forming soaps and amides, and building reactive intermediates. These are the jobs formulators and process chemists reach for it to do.
Neutralises acrylic and alkyd resins in waterborne coatings and inks, and fatty and sulfonic acids in detergents and emulsifiers.
RCOOH + MIPA → RCOO⁻ MIPAH⁺Condenses with fatty acids or methyl esters to give fatty isopropanolamides such as cocamide MIPA, used to thicken and stabilise foam in shampoos.
RCOOCH₃ + MIPA → RCONHCH₂CH(OH)CH₃Reacts with boric acid to give MIPA borate, a corrosion inhibitor and alkalinity source for metalworking fluids.
MIPA + H₃BO₃ → MIPA borateRaises pH and forms protective films and soaps in metalworking fluids, coolants and anticorrosion coatings.
strong base, pH > 11 in solutionCondenses with carboxylic acids or aldehydes to give oxazolines and oxazolidines, used as moisture scavengers and coating modifiers.
MIPA + RCHO → oxazolidineAbsorbs CO₂ and H₂S like other alkanolamines, and is used in some gas-treating blends.
2 RNH₂ + CO₂ ⇌ carbamateA chiral-capable C3 amino alcohol used in pharmaceutical, agrochemical and fine-chemical intermediates.
R–X + MIPA → R–NH–CH₂CH(OH)CH₃The amine and hydroxyl groups react with ethylene or propylene oxide to give polyols and surfactant intermediates.
MIPA + n PO → polyolProcess notes. Neutralisation is exothermic, so add MIPA under control. MIPA is corrosive — handle it like MEA. Because it stays liquid down to about −2 °C, it is often chosen over MEA for unheated sites. Keep drums closed to avoid CO₂ pick-up and colour rise.
Discuss your processPractically all commercial MIPA comes from the same route. Knowing how it is made explains why the specification always controls DIPA, water and colour — they come from the same reactor.
Propylene oxide is fed into aqueous ammonia, with excess ammonia to favour the mono-substituted product.
The exothermic ring-opening reaction runs in the liquid phase under pressure and controlled temperature.
The reactor delivers MIPA, DIPA and TIPA together with unreacted ammonia and water.
Ammonia and water are stripped, then distillation separates MIPA, DIPA and TIPA.
MIPA is tested for purity, water and colour, then filled into drums, totes or tankers.
Because MIPA, DIPA and TIPA leave the reactor together, the real quality question is "what else came with it". Residual DIPA is a secondary amine that can form nitrosamines, and water dilutes the amine and affects dosing accuracy.
Colour matters in coatings and personal care. If your use is colour- or DIPA-sensitive, 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 out of sunlight, MIPA is normally used within twelve months, and we recommend a re-check of assay and colour after that before a critical batch. Air and carbon dioxide ingress raise colour and form carbamate.
Keep drums closed between draws and blanket bulk tanks with nitrogen where you can. A retained sample of each batch is held here, so any query can be tested against the original material.
Tell us the application and we will confirm the grade. Commercial grade covers coatings, metalworking and most industrial use; LR and AR grades are available for laboratory work.
The everyday grade for coatings, metalworking fluids, emulsifiers and synthesis.
Tighter colour and DIPA limits for personal care and water-white formulations.
Tighter limits on related amines and water for R&D and QC.
| Parameter | Test method | Typical specification |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Visual | Clear liquid, free from suspended matter |
| Purity (MIPA) | GC | ≥ 99.0 % w/w |
| Diisopropanolamine | GC | ≤ 0.5 % w/w |
| Water | Karl Fischer | ≤ 0.5 % w/w |
| Colour | APHA | ≤ 20 |
| Density at 20 °C | Densitometer | 0.960 – 0.970 g/cm³ |
| 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.
Buyers often compare MIPA with monoethanolamine. Both are primary amino alcohols; the methyl branch on MIPA changes handling and how its salts and amides behave. Use the table to narrow it down, then send us the application and we will confirm.
| Point of comparison | Monoisopropanolamine (MIPA) | Monoethanolamine (MEA) |
|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | Coatings, metalworking fluids, cocamide MIPA, emulsifiers | Gas treating, detergent salts, ethanolamides, synthesis |
| Freezing point | About −2 °C | About 10 °C |
| Molecular weight | 75.11 | 61.08 |
| Amine per kilogram | Lower | Higher |
| Soaps and amides | Softer, more soluble | Firmer, can crystallise |
| Handling in cold sites | Usually no heating needed | Heated storage often needed |
| Transport classification | UN 2735, Class 8, PG III | UN 2491, Class 8, PG III |
The isopropanolamines come out of the same propylene oxide reactor and do similar jobs to the ethanolamines, with a methyl branch that changes volatility, odour, nitrosamine behaviour and how they neutralise acids in a formulation.
| Property | Monoisopropanolamine (MIPA) | Diisopropanolamine (DIPA) | Triisopropanolamine (TIPA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAS number | 78-96-6 | 110-97-4 | 122-20-3 |
| Formula | CH₃CH(OH)CH₂NH₂ | [CH₃CH(OH)CH₂]₂NH | [CH₃CH(OH)CH₂]₃N |
| Molecular weight | 75.11 | 133.19 | 191.27 |
| Amine class | Primary | Secondary | Tertiary |
| Melting point | About −2 °C | About 42–45 °C | About 45–50 °C |
| Boiling point | About 160 °C | About 249 °C | About 305 °C |
| State at 25 °C | Clear liquid | Waxy solid; also sold as an aqueous solution | Waxy solid; also sold as an aqueous solution |
| Typical outlets | Metalworking fluids, cocamide MIPA, coatings neutraliser, emulsifiers | Gas sweetening solvents, carbomer neutraliser, coatings, polyurethanes | Cement grinding aids, polyurethanes, coatings |
Order by full name and CAS. MIPA, DIPA and TIPA are short trade names, and DIPA is also used loosely for diisopropylamine — a different, flammable amine. Write the full chemical name, the CAS number and the grade (pure or aqueous) on the enquiry and on the purchase order.
See the full amine rangeMIPA goes mainly into metalworking fluids, coatings, emulsifiers and personal care, with a tail of chemical synthesis. Here is the full picture, sector by sector.
Provides alkalinity, corrosion inhibition and emulsion stability in soluble oils and synthetic coolants, often as MIPA borate.
Neutralises acrylic and alkyd binders, improves pigment dispersion and acts as a co-solvent in waterborne paints and inks.
Feedstock for cocamide MIPA, a thickener and foam booster in shampoos, and for MIPA lauryl sulfate and MIPA salts.
Forms MIPA soaps and sulfonate salts for liquid detergents, polishes and emulsifier packages.
Forms water-soluble amine salts of acidic herbicides and is used in agrochemical intermediates.
A C3 amino-alcohol building block for APIs, chiral auxiliaries and fine-chemical intermediates.
Used in corrosion-inhibitor packages for coolants, rust preventives and anticorrosion coatings.
Used in polyurethane chemistry, oxazolidine moisture scavengers and as an intermediate for specialty amines.
If you are mapping a value chain or looking for the product one step down from where you are, this is where monoisopropanolamine ends up. Several of these are chemicals we can also source for you.
| Derivative | Made by | End use |
|---|---|---|
| Cocamide MIPA | Amidation with coconut fatty acid or methyl ester | Thickener and foam booster in shampoos and body washes |
| MIPA borate | Reaction with boric acid | Corrosion inhibitor in metalworking fluids |
| MIPA lauryl sulfate and MIPA salts | Neutralisation of sulfonic and fatty acids | Detergents and personal care |
| Oxazolidines and oxazolines | Condensation with aldehydes or acids | Moisture scavengers and coating modifiers |
| Neutralised acrylic and alkyd resins | Neutralisation of binders | Waterborne paints and inks |
| Herbicide amine salts | Neutralisation of acidic actives | Liquid herbicide formulations |
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, nitrogen-flushed — the most common pack for MIPA.
Forklift-ready totes with bottom valves for regular users.
500 mL to 25 L packs for laboratory, pilot and qualification work.
Road tankers and ISO tanks for high-volume users.
Share your monthly consumption and the application, 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 supplyMonoisopropanolamine is a corrosive base that causes severe skin burns and eye damage. 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.
Monoisopropanolamine ships as a Class 8 corrosive. That is routine for us, but it shapes the packing, labelling and paperwork before a first shipment moves.
| Item | Classification |
|---|---|
| Proper shipping name | Amines, liquid, corrosive, n.o.s. (1-amino-2-propanol) |
| UN number | UN 2735 |
| Hazard class | Class 8 (corrosive) |
| Packing group | III |
| Labels | Corrosion pictogram |
| Modes | Road, sea (IMDG) and air within dangerous goods quantity limits |
| Segregation | Away from acids, oxidisers and food-grade cargo |
Because MIPA is a dangerous good, export bookings need correct UN packaging, labelling and a dangerous goods declaration, and some destinations require importer registration or inventory listing such as REACH. Tell us the destination at enquiry stage and we will confirm what is needed before the shipment is booked.
Start account opening| Parameter | Specification | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear liquid | Complies |
| Purity (GC) | ≥ 99.0 % | Complies |
| Diisopropanolamine | ≤ 0.5 % | Complies |
| Water (KF) | ≤ 0.5 % | Complies |
| Colour (APHA) | ≤ 20 | Complies |
Monoisopropanolamine 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 monoisopropanolamine 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.
MIPA freezes at about −2 °C; a check on freezing behaviour helps spot water or the wrong product 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 monoisopropanolamine. 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.
Monoisopropanolamine 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.
Monoisopropanolamine 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 monoisopropanolamine 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 monoisopropanolamine 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 monoisopropanolamine 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 monoisopropanolamine 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.