Monomethylamine (MMA) · 40% aqueous solution, alcoholic solutions and anhydrous gas
Methylamine is the simplest primary aliphatic amine and the standard way to put an N-methyl group into a molecule. Chelora Amines supplies it worldwide — to pharmaceutical, agrochemical, solvent, surfactant and water-treatment plants across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and the Americas, as well as throughout India. Packed in carboys, drums, IBC totes or cylinders, shipped in UN-specification packaging with a batch-wise COA and SDS.
12.01 + 3.02 + 14.01 + 2.02 = 31.06 g/mol
Methylamine, also written as monomethylamine or MMA, is ammonia with one hydrogen replaced by a methyl group. That single change makes the nitrogen more electron-rich and more nucleophilic than ammonia, which is exactly why the chemical industry uses it: it attaches a methyl-substituted nitrogen to a molecule in one step.
In its pure form it is a colourless gas at room temperature with a sharp, fish-like ammoniacal smell, so almost nobody buys it as a gas unless they have the pressure handling to match. The practical forms are a 40% solution in water, a 25–33% solution in methanol, ethanol or THF for moisture-sensitive reactions, and anhydrous liquefied gas in cylinders and ISO tanks for large synthesis plants.
Industrially it is made by passing methanol and ammonia over an acidic alumina or zeolite catalyst at 350–500 °C. The reaction produces methylamine, dimethylamine and trimethylamine together, and the three are separated by distillation — which is why the same producers usually supply all three, and why purity specifications always state the dimethylamine and trimethylamine content.
| Chemical name | Methylamine (methanamine) |
| Common synonyms | Monomethylamine, MMA, aminomethane, carbinamine, mono-methyl amine |
| CAS number | 74-89-5 |
| EC / EINECS number | 200-820-0 |
| HS / HSN code | 2921 11 (harmonised heading used worldwide; HSN 2921 11 on Indian invoices) |
| Molecular formula | CH₃NH₂ (CH₅N) |
| Molecular weight | 31.06 g/mol |
| Appearance | Colourless gas; clear colourless liquid as a solution |
| Odour | Strong fish-like, ammoniacal |
| Melting point | −93.5 °C |
| Boiling point | −6.3 °C (anhydrous) |
| Density | 0.656 g/cm³ (liquefied, 25 °C); about 0.90 g/cm³ for the 40% aqueous solution |
| Vapour pressure | About 2.6–3.1 bar at 20–25 °C (anhydrous) |
| Solubility in water | Completely miscible, roughly 1080 g/L at 20 °C |
| pKa of conjugate acid | 10.66 at 25 °C |
| pH | Strongly alkaline in aqueous solution |
| Flammability limits in air | Approximately 4.9 – 20.7 vol % |
| Auto-ignition temperature | About 430 °C |
| UN number | UN 1061 (anhydrous, Class 2.1); UN 1235 (aqueous solution, Class 3 with subsidiary 8) |
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 methylamine is used for: the nitrogen lone pair makes it a strong base, and the small methyl group leaves that nitrogen open and nucleophilic. These are the reaction types process chemists reach for it to do.
Reacts with mineral and organic acids to give water-soluble methylammonium salts. This is how methylamine hydrochloride is made, and how it is used to buffer acidic streams or form agrochemical salts for liquid formulations.
CH₃NH₂ + HCl → CH₃NH₃⁺Cl⁻With acid chlorides, anhydrides and esters it forms N-methyl amides — one of the most common single steps in pharmaceutical and agrochemical synthesis. An excess of amine or a separate base soaks up the acid released.
RCOCl + CH₃NH₂ → RCONHCH₃Condenses with aldehydes and ketones to give an imine that is reduced in situ to a secondary N-methyl amine. Alcoholic methylamine solutions are preferred here, because water shifts the imine equilibrium backwards.
R₂C=O + CH₃NH₂ → R₂CH–NHCH₃Opens epoxides cleanly at the less hindered carbon to give N-methyl amino alcohols, used as intermediates for surfactants, chelants, coating additives and cationic polymers.
epoxide + CH₃NH₂ → amino alcoholAdds across isocyanates to give substituted ureas, and reacts with carbonates and chloroformates to give N-methyl carbamates — the backbone of a whole class of insecticides and of several drug intermediates.
RNCO + CH₃NH₂ → RNHCONHCH₃Supplies the N-methylated nitrogen in rings such as N-methylpyrrolidone, N-methylimidazoles, N-methylpiperazines and N-methylated pyrazoles, usually by cyclising with a lactone, diketone or dihalide.
GBL + CH₃NH₂ → NMPDisplaces halide from alkyl and activated aryl halides to give secondary amines. Over-alkylation is the usual risk, and it is controlled by running a large excess of methylamine and keeping the temperature down.
R–X + CH₃NH₂ → R–NHCH₃Because the conjugate acid has a pKa of 10.66, methylamine mops up HCl and other acids generated during a reaction, keeping the pH where the main chemistry works. Cheaper by the mole than most alternatives.
pKa 10.66 at 25 °CProcess notes. Reactions with methylamine are usually exothermic, so add it under control and keep cooling available. Sealed vessels build pressure quickly because of the low boiling point — vent or design for pressure rather than heating a closed drum. Where water interferes, move from the aqueous grade to an alcoholic solution or anhydrous gas rather than trying to dry the solution on site.
Discuss your processPractically all commercial methylamine comes from the same catalytic route. Knowing how it is made explains why the specification always controls dimethylamine, trimethylamine and free ammonia — they are made in the same reactor.
Methanol and ammonia are vaporised and mixed, with the ammonia in excess to push the equilibrium towards the mono-substituted product.
The mixture passes over an amorphous silica-alumina or shape-selective zeolite catalyst at roughly 350–500 °C and moderate pressure.
The reactor delivers methylamine, dimethylamine and trimethylamine together with unreacted ammonia and water.
A distillation train, including an extractive column that uses water to break the trimethylamine–ammonia azeotrope, splits the three amines. Off-spec cuts are recycled to the reactor.
Product is dried for anhydrous grade or diluted to 40% in water, tested, then filled into carboys, drums, totes or cylinders under nitrogen.
Because all three methylamines leave the reactor together, the real quality question is not simply "how much methylamine" but "what else came with it". Residual dimethylamine can form a secondary-amine by-product in your reaction, trimethylamine is a tertiary amine that will not react at all and simply reports as unusable mass, and free ammonia competes for the same electrophile.
Modern shape-selective zeolite catalysts raise the proportion of methylamine in the reactor output, which is why the tighter grades carry lower dimethylamine limits. 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, methylamine solutions are normally used within twelve months, and we recommend a re-check of assay 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 solvent system and we will confirm the form, strength and grade. Commercial grade covers most production use; LR and AR grades are available for laboratory and analytical work.
The everyday commercial form. Easy to pump, store and dose, and suitable wherever water is tolerated in the reaction.
Methylamine in methanol, ethanol or THF for moisture-sensitive synthesis, reductive amination and peptide work.
Liquefied gas for continuous plants and high-volume methylation, supplied in cylinders, tonners and ISO tanks.
Tighter limits on ammonia, dimethylamine and trimethylamine for R&D, method development and QC use.
| Parameter | Test method | Typical specification |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Visual | Clear, colourless liquid, free from suspended matter |
| Assay (methylamine) | Titration / GC | 39.5 – 40.5 % w/w |
| Dimethylamine | GC | ≤ 0.5 % w/w |
| Trimethylamine | GC | ≤ 0.2 % w/w |
| Free ammonia | GC | ≤ 0.3 % w/w |
| Colour | APHA | ≤ 15 |
| Non-volatile matter | Gravimetric | ≤ 0.05 % w/w |
| Density at 25 °C | Densitometer | 0.895 – 0.905 g/cm³ |
| Iron (Fe) | AAS | ≤ 2 ppm |
Indicative specification for planning. The controlling document is the Certificate of Analysis issued for your batch. If your process needs tighter limits on dimethylamine, trimethylamine or water, say so at enquiry stage and we will quote against your specification.
This is the single most common question at enquiry stage, and the answer is decided by your reaction rather than by price. Use the table to narrow it down, then send us the step you are running and we will confirm.
| Point of comparison | 40% aqueous solution | 30–33% alcoholic solution | Anhydrous liquefied gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best suited to | General synthesis, salt formation, neutralisation, formulations where water is fine | Reductive amination, amide coupling, organometallic and moisture-sensitive steps | Continuous plants, high-volume methylation, gas-phase and pressure reactions |
| Water content | About 60% by weight | Low, controlled to specification | Essentially none |
| Handling | Pump or gravity decant; ordinary liquid handling | As for aqueous, plus flammable-solvent controls | Pressure equipment, trained operators, gas detection |
| Storage | Cool, ventilated, bunded, sealed containers | Flammable-liquid store with earthing and bonding | Gas store or bulk tank, pressure-rated and relief-protected |
| Packs | 25 L carboy, 200 kg drum, 1000 L IBC | Carboys and drums | Cylinders, tonners, ISO tanks |
| Amine per kilogram delivered | Lowest — you also pay to move water | Middle | Highest |
| Transport classification | UN 1235, Class 3 with subsidiary 8 | UN 1235 or solvent-dependent, Class 3 with subsidiary 8 | UN 1061, Class 2.1 flammable gas |
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 | Methylamine (MMA) | Dimethylamine (DMA) | Trimethylamine (TMA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAS number | 74-89-5 | 124-40-3 | 75-50-3 |
| Formula | CH₃NH₂ | (CH₃)₂NH | (CH₃)₃N |
| Molecular weight | 31.06 | 45.08 | 59.11 |
| Amine class | Primary — two N–H bonds free | Secondary — one N–H bond free | Tertiary — no N–H bond |
| Boiling point | −6.3 °C | 7.4 °C | 2.9 °C |
| pKa of conjugate acid | 10.66 | 10.73 | 9.81 |
| Typical outlets | NMP, carbamate insecticides, N-methyl pharma intermediates, surfactants | DMF and DMAc solvents, rubber accelerators, water-treatment polymers, surfactants | Choline chloride, quaternary ammonium compounds, betaines, resins |
| Can it be further substituted? | Yes, twice | Yes, once | No — only quaternised |
A warning about "MMA". In the chemical trade the same three letters are used for methylamine and for methyl methacrylate, which is an entirely different product. Two more traps sit in the same family: TEA can mean triethanolamine or triethylamine, and DEA can mean diethanolamine or diethylamine. Always write the full chemical name with the CAS number on the enquiry and the purchase order.
See the full amine rangeMost methylamine consumption sits in three places: solvent manufacture, agrochemical intermediates and pharmaceutical synthesis. Here is the full picture, sector by sector.
An N-methylating agent and building block for bulk drugs — methylated xanthines, anaesthetics, antihistamines, diuretics and a long list of N-methyl amide and sulfonamide intermediates. Alcoholic solutions are preferred where water would interfere.
A feedstock for carbamate insecticides, and an intermediate for triazine and urea herbicides, fungicides and plant growth regulators. It also forms water-soluble salts used in liquid formulations.
The nitrogen source for N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) from gamma-butyrolactone, and for N-methylformamide, N-methylacetamide and other polar aprotic solvents used in electronics, pharma and polymer processing.
Raw material for N-methyl taurate surfactants, amphoteric betaines and mild cleansing bases used in face washes, shampoos and toothpaste formulations.
An intermediate for cationic polymers, flocculants, wet-strength resins and scale inhibitors used in effluent plants, paper mills and cooling systems.
Feeds into accelerators, vulcanisation aids and antioxidants, and into blocked-amine curatives and chain modifiers for coatings and adhesives.
Used in methylamino dye intermediates and in photographic developers such as N-methyl-p-aminophenol sulfate, as well as in optical brighteners.
Goes into fuel and lubricant additives, corrosion inhibitors, tanning auxiliaries, paint removers and as a laboratory base and acid scavenger.
If you are mapping a value chain or looking for the product one step down from where you are, this is where methylamine ends up. Several of these are chemicals we can also source for you.
| Derivative | Made by | End use |
|---|---|---|
| N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) | Reaction with gamma-butyrolactone | Polar aprotic solvent for electronics, pharma, petrochemical extraction, paint stripping and polymer casting |
| N-Methylformamide and N-methylacetamide | Reaction with formate or acetate esters | Solvents and intermediates for pharma and fine chemicals |
| Methylamine hydrochloride (CAS 593-51-1) | Neutralisation with hydrochloric acid | Solid, easy-to-weigh reagent for laboratory and pharmaceutical synthesis |
| N-Methyl carbamates | Reaction with chloroformates or via isocyanate chemistry | Insecticides and acaricides used in crop protection |
| Sarcosine (N-methylglycine) | Reaction with chloroacetic acid | Sarcosinate surfactants for mild cleansers and toothpaste |
| N-Methyl taurine and methyl taurates | Reaction with sodium isethionate or similar | Mild anionic surfactants for face washes and shampoos |
| Methylamino dye intermediates | Aromatic substitution | Reactive and disperse dyes, optical brighteners, pigments |
| N-Methyl-p-aminophenol sulfate | Reaction with hydroquinone chemistry | Photographic and imaging developers |
| Cationic water-treatment polymers | Polycondensation with epichlorohydrin-type reagents | Flocculants, wet-strength resins and colour-removal chemicals |
| N-Methyl heterocycles | Cyclisation with diketones, dihalides and lactams | API cores, catalysts, ionic liquids and battery electrolyte additives |
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, strength, net weight, batch number, manufacturing date, UN number and hazard pictograms.
HDPE carboys for lab qualification, pilot batches and low-consumption users.
HDPE and MS drums for the 40% aqueous and alcoholic solutions — the most common pack.
Forklift-ready totes with bottom valves for plants drawing methylamine every week.
Anhydrous methylamine in pressure cylinders, tonners and ISO tanks for continuous plants.
Share your monthly consumption, the solvent your process uses and your storage setup, and we will recommend the form, 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 supplyMethylamine is a flammable, corrosive base with a low boiling point. 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.
Methylamine is a regulated product in transport and, in several countries, a monitored chemical. Both are routine for us, but they shape what we need from you before a first shipment moves.
| Item | Aqueous solution | Anhydrous |
|---|---|---|
| Proper shipping name | Methylamine, aqueous solution | Methylamine, anhydrous |
| UN number | UN 1235 | UN 1061 |
| Hazard class | Class 3, subsidiary risk 8 | Class 2.1 flammable gas |
| Packing group | Typically II | Not applicable to gases |
| Labels | Flame and corrosion pictograms | Flame pictogram, gas cylinder marking |
| Modes | Road, sea (IMDG) and air subject to quantity limits | Road and sea; air movement heavily restricted |
| Segregation | Away from acids, oxidisers, halogens and hypochlorites | Away from oxidising and flammable-gas cylinders per site rules |
Methylamine is a monitored or controlled precursor chemical in a number of jurisdictions. We supply it 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) | 39.5 – 40.5 % | Complies |
| Dimethylamine | ≤ 0.5 % | Complies |
| Free ammonia | ≤ 0.3 % | Complies |
| Colour (APHA) | ≤ 15 | Complies |
Methylamine 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 methylamine from dimethylamine, trimethylamine and ammonia in one run, and gives the assay and the impurity profile that matter most to your reaction.
An independent check on total amine content, useful as a quick goods-inward confirmation before a drum is released to production.
Water determination for anhydrous and alcoholic grades, where the water number is often the reason the grade was chosen in the first place.
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 solution strength is what the label says, and a simple way to spot dilution or the wrong pack.
Gravimetric residue and trace metal checks, which matter for catalytic steps and for any product going into a regulated formulation.
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 methylamine. Repeat orders follow the same route on a schedule that matches your consumption.
Form and strength, grade, quantity, pack size and delivery location.
We confirm the form for your solvent system 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.
Methylamine is a commodity on a price list and a headache in a warehouse. What separates suppliers is the form flexibility, the paperwork and the answer you get when something is not routine.
Methylamine 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.
Aqueous, alcoholic and anhydrous methylamine are all available, so you are not forced to redesign a step around the only grade your supplier happens to carry.
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 dimethylamine, trimethylamine, 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 flammable, corrosive product than you otherwise would.
Describe the reaction rather than the product code and we will tell you which form and grade fits — and say so plainly when a different amine would serve you better.
Buyers who order methylamine 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 of the solution within dangerous goods limits; anhydrous gas is heavily restricted |
| 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 methylamine 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 form, a pack plan and an indicative price.
Send an enquiryPlain definitions of the words that appear on a methylamine 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 strength, 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.