Diethylamine (DEA) · 99.5% liquid, aqueous solutions and laboratory grades
Diethylamine is the secondary member of the ethylamine family and the standard way to put an N,N-diethyl group into a molecule. Chelora Amines supplies it worldwide — to rubber chemical, pharmaceutical, agrochemical, corrosion inhibitor and mineral processing plants across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas, as well as throughout India. Packed in cans, drums or IBC totes, shipped in UN-specification packaging with a batch-wise COA and SDS.
48.04 + 10.08 + 14.01 + 1.01 = 73.14 g/mol
Diethylamine, usually written DEA in this family, is ammonia with two hydrogens replaced by ethyl groups. It is a secondary amine, which places it in a useful middle ground: the nitrogen is more electron-rich than in a primary amine, so it is a strong nucleophile, but one N–H bond is still there, so it can be acylated. That combination is why so much rubber chemical and fine chemical chemistry starts here.
Unlike ethylamine and the methylamines it is a liquid at ordinary temperatures, boiling at 55.5 °C, so it is supplied neat at 99.5 percent and above rather than as a solution. That makes it simpler to handle than a liquefied gas, but the flash point of about −23 °C means it is still a highly flammable liquid and is stored as one. Aqueous solutions are available where a diluted, less volatile feed suits the process better.
Industrially it is made by reacting ethanol with ammonia over an acidic or metal-promoted catalyst. The reactor produces mono-, di- and triethylamine together and the three are separated by distillation — which is why the same producers usually supply all three, and why a diethylamine specification always states the monoethylamine and triethylamine content.
| Chemical name | Diethylamine (N-ethylethanamine) |
| Common synonyms | DEA, di-ethyl amine, N,N-diethylamine |
| CAS number | 109-89-7 |
| EC / EINECS number | 203-716-3 |
| HS / HSN code | 2921 19 (other acyclic monoamines; the full national code is stated on your invoice) |
| Molecular formula | (C₂H₅)₂NH (C₄H₁₁N) |
| Molecular weight | 73.14 g/mol |
| Appearance | Clear, colourless, mobile liquid |
| Odour | Strong ammoniacal, fish-like |
| Melting point | −50 °C |
| Boiling point | 55.5 °C |
| Density | 0.705 – 0.707 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Flash point | About −23 °C (closed cup) |
| Vapour pressure | About 195–240 mbar at 20 °C |
| Solubility in water | Miscible |
| pKa of conjugate acid | About 11.0 at 25 °C |
| pH | Strongly alkaline in aqueous solution |
| Flammability limits in air | Approximately 1.8 – 10.1 vol % |
| Auto-ignition temperature | About 310 °C |
| UN number | UN 1154, Class 3 with subsidiary 8, packing group II |
Figures are typical literature values for orientation. Values for the material you order are stated on its Certificate of Analysis and Safety Data Sheet.
Two properties explain almost everything diethylamine is used for: two electron-donating ethyl groups make the nitrogen strongly nucleophilic, and the one remaining N–H bond keeps acylation open. These are the reaction types process chemists reach for it to do.
With acid chlorides, anhydrides and esters it gives N,N-diethyl amides in one step — the structure behind well known insect repellents, local anaesthetic intermediates and a long list of fine chemicals.
RCOCl + (C₂H₅)₂NH → RCON(C₂H₅)₂With carbon disulfide and a base it gives diethyldithiocarbamate salts, which are converted to the zinc and sodium salts used as fast rubber accelerators and as metal-chelating reagents.
(C₂H₅)₂NH + CS₂ → (C₂H₅)₂NCS₂⁻Adds across ethylene oxide to give N,N-diethylethanolamine, a neutralising amine for boiler and condensate systems and an intermediate for surfactants and pharma.
(C₂H₅)₂NH + EO → (C₂H₅)₂NCH₂CH₂OHCondenses with aldehydes and ketones to give enamines, the classic secondary-amine route to alkylating or acylating the alpha position of a carbonyl compound under mild conditions.
R₂C=O + (C₂H₅)₂NH → enamineReacts with formaldehyde and an enolisable carbonyl to give a diethylamino methyl side chain — a standard way to build intermediates for pharmaceuticals, corrosion inhibitors and oilfield chemicals.
HCHO + (C₂H₅)₂NH → Mannich baseNeutralises mineral and organic acids to give water-soluble diethylammonium salts, used to solubilise actives in liquid formulations and to buffer acidic process streams.
(C₂H₅)₂NH + HCl → (C₂H₅)₂NH₂⁺Cl⁻With a conjugate acid pKa near 11 it is among the strongest of the simple amines, so it mops up HCl released during acylation and keeps the pH where the main chemistry works.
pKa ≈ 11.0 at 25 °CAlkylation gives a tertiary amine and, with more reagent, a quaternary salt. But diethylamine can only take one more substituent — if your step needs two free positions, ethylamine is the product you want.
R–X + (C₂H₅)₂NH → R–N(C₂H₅)₂Process notes. Reactions with diethylamine are usually exothermic, so add it under control and keep cooling available. The boiling point of 55.5 °C and the very low flash point mean vapour builds quickly in a warm workshop: transfer in a ventilated area, earth and bond the equipment, and keep ignition sources away. Where water interferes, use the neat 99.5% grade rather than an aqueous solution.
Discuss your processPractically all commercial diethylamine comes from a catalytic amination route. Knowing how it is made explains why the specification always controls monoethylamine, triethylamine and water — they are made or carried through in the same plant.
Ethanol and ammonia are vaporised and mixed, with the feed ratio set to favour the di-substituted product.
The mixture passes over an acidic alumina, zeolite or metal-promoted catalyst at elevated temperature and pressure, with hydrogen present on metal-catalysed routes.
The reactor delivers mono-, di- and triethylamine together with unreacted ammonia, ethanol and water.
A distillation train, including an extractive column to break the azeotropes, splits the three ethylamines. Off-spec cuts and unreacted feed are recycled to the reactor.
Product is dried to the water specification, tested, then filled into cans, drums or totes under nitrogen and labelled for dispatch.
Because all three ethylamines leave the reactor together, the real quality question is not simply "how much diethylamine" but "what else came with it". Residual monoethylamine still has two N–H bonds, so in an acylation it can react twice and produce a by-product your QC will see. Triethylamine has none, will not react at all and simply reports as unusable mass. Water matters separately: it hydrolyses acid chlorides and isocyanates before your amine gets to them.
If your downstream step 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 out of sunlight, diethylamine is normally used within twelve months, and we recommend a re-check of assay, water and colour after that before a critical batch. The material does not "go off" so much as drift: air and carbon dioxide ingress form carbonate and raise the APHA colour, and repeated opening of a part-used drum is the usual cause.
Keep drums closed between draws, blanket bulk tanks with nitrogen where you can, and avoid storing part-used packs next to a heat source. A retained sample of each batch is held here, so if a consignment is ever queried we can test against the original.
Tell us the reaction and the water tolerance of your step and we will confirm the grade. Commercial grade covers most production use; low-water and laboratory grades are available where the specification is tighter.
The everyday form. Neat liquid for rubber chemicals, acylation, Mannich chemistry and general synthesis.
Dried further for acid chloride, isocyanate and organometallic work where water destroys the reagent before the amine reaches it.
A diluted, less volatile feed for water-based formulations, neutralisation duty and sites that prefer not to store a neat flammable amine.
Tighter limits on monoethylamine, triethylamine and water for R&D, method development and QC use.
| Parameter | Test method | Typical specification |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Visual | Clear, colourless liquid, free from suspended matter |
| Assay (diethylamine) | GC | ≥ 99.5 % w/w |
| Monoethylamine | GC | ≤ 0.2 % w/w |
| Triethylamine | GC | ≤ 0.2 % w/w |
| Free ammonia | GC | ≤ 0.05 % w/w |
| Water | Karl Fischer | ≤ 0.2 % w/w |
| Colour | APHA | ≤ 15 |
| Distillation range | ASTM D1078 | 54 – 57 °C |
| Density at 20 °C | Densitometer | 0.705 – 0.707 g/cm³ |
| Non-volatile matter | Gravimetric | ≤ 0.02 % w/w |
Indicative specification for planning. The controlling document is the Certificate of Analysis issued for your batch. If your process needs tighter limits on water, monoethylamine or triethylamine, say so at enquiry stage and we will quote against your specification.
Diethylamine is a liquid at room temperature, so the choice is simpler than with the gaseous amines: it comes down to how much water your reaction tolerates and how you would rather store a flammable product.
| Point of comparison | Neat 99.5% liquid | Low-water grade | Aqueous solution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | Rubber chemicals, Mannich chemistry, general acylation and synthesis | Acid chloride, isocyanate and organometallic steps | Water-based formulations, neutralisation and pH duty |
| Water content | ≤ 0.2% typically | ≤ 0.05% to specification | To ordered strength, usually 60–70% |
| Handling | Ordinary liquid handling with flammable-liquid controls | As neat grade, plus dry transfer under nitrogen | Ordinary liquid handling; lower vapour pressure |
| Storage | Flammable-liquid store, cool, ventilated, earthed and bonded | As neat grade, sealed and nitrogen blanketed | Cool, ventilated, bunded; still an alkaline corrosive |
| Packs | 25 L cans, drums of about 140 kg, 1000 L IBC | Drums and totes | Carboys, drums and totes |
| Amine per kilogram delivered | Highest | Highest | Lowest — you also pay to move water |
| Transport classification | UN 1154, Class 3 (8), PG II | UN 1154, Class 3 (8), PG II | Class 3 or 8 depending on concentration; confirmed on the DG declaration |
Three products, one reactor, very different chemistry. Ordering the wrong one is the most expensive mistake a purchase team can make with this family, and abbreviations are usually how it happens.
| Property | Diethylamine (DEA) | Ethylamine | Triethylamine (TEA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAS number | 109-89-7 | 75-04-7 | 121-44-8 |
| Formula | (C₂H₅)₂NH | C₂H₅NH₂ | (C₂H₅)₃N |
| Molecular weight | 73.14 | 45.08 | 101.19 |
| Amine class | Secondary — one N–H bond free | Primary — two N–H bonds free | Tertiary — no N–H bond |
| Boiling point | 55.5 °C | 16.6 °C | 89.5 °C |
| State at 25 °C | Liquid | Gas; supplied as a solution | Liquid |
| pKa of conjugate acid | About 11.0 | About 10.7 | About 10.75 |
| Typical outlets | Rubber accelerators, insect repellents, pharma intermediates, corrosion inhibitors, flotation reagents | Triazine herbicides, pharma intermediates, dyes | Acid scavenger, foundry cold-box catalyst, quaternary ammonium compounds |
| Can it be further substituted? | Yes, once | Yes, twice | No — only quaternised |
A warning about "DEA". In the chemical trade those three letters are used for both diethylamine and diethanolamine, CAS 111-42-2, which is an entirely different product — a viscous amino alcohol, not a volatile flammable amine. The same trap sits on the other two: TEA can mean triethanolamine or triethylamine, and MEA can mean monoethanolamine or monoethylamine. Always write the full chemical name with the CAS number on the enquiry and the purchase order.
See the full amine rangeMost diethylamine consumption sits in rubber chemicals, pharmaceutical intermediates and agrochemicals, with corrosion inhibitors and mineral processing behind them. Here is the full picture, sector by sector.
The route to diethyldithiocarbamate accelerators, including the zinc and sodium salts used as ultra-fast accelerators in latex dipping, and to antioxidants and vulcanisation aids.
A building block for N,N-diethyl amide and diethylamino side chains found in local anaesthetics, antihistamines, antiarrhythmics and a long list of intermediates, and a base in coupling and salt-formation steps.
An intermediate for thiocarbamate and amide herbicides, fungicides and plant growth regulators, and a source of water-soluble salts used in liquid crop-protection formulations.
The precursor to N,N-diethylethanolamine and other neutralising amines that raise condensate pH, and an intermediate for scale and corrosion inhibitors in cooling systems.
Feeds imidazoline and Mannich-base corrosion inhibitors, hydrogen sulfide scavengers and additives used in production, injection and refinery overhead systems.
Diethyldithiocarbamate collectors are used in the flotation of copper, lead, zinc and precious metal ores, and diethylamine salts appear in frothers and modifiers.
Used in diethylamino dye intermediates, in epoxy curing and accelerator systems, and as a catalyst and chain modifier in polyurethane and acrylic chemistry.
Goes into fuel and lubricant additives, textile and leather auxiliaries, electroplating chemistry, and is used as a laboratory base, acid scavenger and mobile-phase modifier.
If you are mapping a value chain or looking for the product one step down from where you are, this is where diethylamine ends up. Several of these are chemicals we can also source for you.
| Derivative | Made by | End use |
|---|---|---|
| Zinc diethyldithiocarbamate (ZDEC) | Reaction with carbon disulfide, then zinc salt formation | Ultra-fast accelerator for latex dipping, gloves, foam and general rubber goods |
| Sodium diethyldithiocarbamate | Reaction with carbon disulfide and caustic soda | Rubber chemical intermediate and analytical chelating reagent for trace metals |
| N,N-Diethyl-m-toluamide | Acylation with m-toluoyl chloride | The active ingredient in widely used personal insect repellents |
| N,N-Diethylethanolamine (CAS 100-37-8) | Reaction with ethylene oxide | Neutralising amine for boiler and condensate systems; surfactant and pharma intermediate |
| Diethylamine hydrochloride (CAS 660-68-4) | Neutralisation with hydrochloric acid | Solid, easy-to-weigh reagent for laboratory and pharmaceutical synthesis |
| N,N-Diethyl amides and sulfonamides | Acylation or sulfonylation | API intermediates, crop-protection actives and fine chemicals |
| Mannich-base corrosion inhibitors | Reaction with formaldehyde and a ketone or phenol | Oilfield, refinery and acidising inhibitor packages |
| Diethylamino dye intermediates | Aromatic substitution | Basic and disperse dyes, fluorescent dyes and optical brighteners |
| Flotation collectors | Dithiocarbamate and thiourea chemistry | Copper, lead, zinc and precious metal ore beneficiation |
| Polymerisation and epoxy accelerators | Salt formation and adduct chemistry | Coatings, adhesives, casting resins and urethane systems |
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 and hazard pictograms.
Tinplate cans and HDPE carboys for lab qualification, pilot batches and low-consumption users.
200 litre MS drums, the standard production pack for the neat 99.5% liquid.
Forklift-ready totes with bottom valves for plants drawing diethylamine every week.
ISO tanks and road tankers for continuous plants with bulk flammable-liquid storage.
Share your monthly consumption, the water tolerance of your step and your storage setup, 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 containers, palletised and stretch-wrapped, and shipped FOB, CIF or CFR through Nhava Sheva and Mundra.
Plan my supplyDiethylamine has a flash point around −23 °C, which means the vapour above the liquid is ignitable at any normal plant temperature. 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.
Diethylamine is a regulated product in transport and, in several countries, subject to end-use checks. Both are routine for us, but they shape what we need from you before a first shipment moves.
| Proper shipping name | Diethylamine |
| UN number | UN 1154 |
| Hazard class | Class 3, subsidiary risk 8 |
| Packing group | II |
| Labels | Flame and corrosion pictograms |
| Modes | Road, sea (IMDG) and air subject to quantity limits |
| Segregation | Away from acids, oxidisers, halogens and hypochlorites |
| Aqueous solutions | Classified on concentration; the applicable UN number and class are stated on the DG declaration for your consignment |
We supply diethylamine only against verified company credentials and a stated industrial end use, and we decline enquiries that cannot be tied to a legitimate manufacturing or research process. This protects both sides and keeps shipments moving through customs without delay.
Start account opening| Parameter | Specification | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear, colourless liquid | Complies |
| Assay (GC) | ≥ 99.5 % | Complies |
| Water (KF) | ≤ 0.2 % | Complies |
| Triethylamine | ≤ 0.2 % | Complies |
| Colour (APHA) | ≤ 15 | Complies |
Diethylamine 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 diethylamine from monoethylamine, triethylamine and ammonia in one run, and gives the assay and the impurity profile that matter most to your reaction.
Water determination, which for a neat amine is often the single most important number on the certificate.
An independent check on total amine content, useful as a quick goods-inward confirmation before a drum is released to production.
A boiling range of 54 to 57 °C confirms identity and shows up heavier or lighter amines that GC alone might be set to ignore.
A visual platinum–cobalt comparison. A rising colour value is the earliest sign that a pack has been exposed to air 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.
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 diethylamine. Repeat orders follow the same route on a schedule that matches your consumption.
Grade and water limit, quantity, pack size and delivery location.
We confirm the grade for your step 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 UN-spec packaging for export.
Material reaches your gate and repeat dispatches are scheduled to your usage.
Diethylamine is a commodity on a price list and a headache in a warehouse. What separates suppliers is the grade flexibility, the paperwork and the answer you get when something is not routine.
Diethylamine sits alongside the other ethylamines, methylamines, ethanolamines and fatty amines we supply. Your purchase team raises one enquiry, compares one quote and manages one vendor record instead of six.
For acid chloride and isocyanate chemistry the water number decides the yield, so a low-water grade is quoted and certified against your limit rather than assumed.
COA, SDS, correct HSN and HS codes, dangerous goods declarations and certificates of origin are prepared with the consignment, not chased afterwards by your logistics team.
Tell us your limits on monoethylamine, triethylamine, ammonia or water 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 of a highly flammable product than you otherwise would.
Describe the reaction 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 diethylamine 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 about 140 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; bulk moves by sea or road |
| 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 |
Road dispatch from our Mumbai base to industrial clusters in 16 states and Delhi. Open your state for the local industries we serve and the amines they order most.
Most delays in quoting diethylamine 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 reaction step 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 diethylamine 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, water limit, 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.