Triethylamine

Description

Triethylamine (TEA) is a very commonly used organic base. Diisopropylethylamine (DIEA) is a closely related organic base. DIEA is more sterically hindered than TEA therefore is less prone to quaternization when used with highly reactive alkylation agents. TEA has a boiling point of 89 C, making it easier to remove via rotovap distillation. DIEA has a boiling point of 127 C, making it more useful for reactions that are over 90 C. In most situations TEA and DIEA can be used interchangably. However, for certain situations one is a better choice than the other.

Chemical properties

Triethylamine is a colorless to yellowish liquid with a strong ammonia to fish-like odor. It is a base commonly used in organic chemistry to prepare esters and amides from acyl chlorides. Like other tertiary amines,it catalyzes the formation of urethane foams and epoxy resins.

The Uses of Triethylamine

Triethylamine is a base used to prepare esters and amides from acyl chlorides as well as in the synthesis of quaternary ammonium compounds. It acts as a catalyst in the formation of urethane foams and epoxy resins, dehydrohalogeantion reactions, acid neutralizers for condensation reactions and Swern oxidations. Triethylamine is used in accelerating activators for rubber; as a corrosion inhibitor for polymers; a propellant; wetting, penetrating, and waterproofing agent of quaternary ammonium compounds.

Definition

ChEBI: Triethylamine is a tertiary amine that is ammonia in which each hydrogen atom is substituted by an ethyl group.

Production Methods

Triethylamine is prepared by a vapor phase reaction of ammonia with ethanol or reaction of N,N-diethylacetamide with lithium aluminum hydride. It may also be produced from ethyl chloride and ammonia under heat and pressure or by vapor phase alkylation of ammonia with ethanol. 

Aroma threshold values

High strength odor, fishy type; recommend smelling in a 0.01% solution or less.

Reactivity Profile

Triethylamine reacts violently with oxidizing agents. Reacts with Al and Zn. Neutralizes acids in exothermic reactions to form salts plus water. May be incompatible with isocyanates, halogenated organics, peroxides, phenols (acidic), epoxides, anhydrides, and acid halides. Flammable gaseous hydrogen may be generated in combination with strong reducing agents, such as hydrides.

Health Hazard

Vapors irritate nose, throat, and lungs, causing coughing, choking, and difficult breathing. Contact with eyes causes severe burns. Clothing wet with chemical causes skin burns. Triethylamine may also be irritating to skin and mucous membranes (Windholz et al 1983).

Fire Hazard

Flammable/combustible material. May be ignited by heat, sparks or flames. Vapors may form explosive mixtures with air. Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back. Most vapors are heavier than air. They will spread along ground and collect in low or confined areas (sewers, basements, tanks). Vapor explosion hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers. Runoff to sewer may create fire or explosion hazard. Containers may explode when heated. Many liquids are lighter than water.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Triethylamine is known to drive polymerization reaction. It acts as a source of carbon and nitrogen for bacterial cultures. Triethylamine is used in pesticides. Triethylamine can serve as an organic solvent.

Safety Profile

Moderately toxic by ingestion and skin contact. Mildly toxic by inhalation. Human systemic effects: visual field changes. Experimental reproductive effects. Mutation data reported. A skin and severe eye irritant. Can cause kidney and liver damage. A very dangerous fire hazard when exposed to heat, flame, or oxidizers. Explosive in the form of vapor when exposed to heat or flame. Complex with dinitrogen tetraoxide explodes below 0°C when undduted with solvent. Exothermic reaction with maleic anhydride above 150°C. Can react with oxidzing materials. Incompatible with N2O4. To fight fire, use CO2, dry chemical, alcohol foam. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of NOx.

Potential Exposure

Triethylamine is and aliphatic amine used as a solvent; corrosion inhibitor; in chemical synthesis; and accelerator activators; paint remover; base in methylene chloride or other chlorinated solvents. TEA is used to solubilize 2,4,5-T in water and serves as a selective extractant in the purification of antibiotics. It is used to manufacture quaternary ammonia compounds and octadecyloxymethyltriethylammonium chloride; an agent used in textile treatment.

Carcinogenicity

TEA was not mutagenic in bacterial assays, but it did cause aneuploidy and chromosome aberrations in rats.

Environmental Fate

Photolytic. Low et al. (1991) reported that the photooxidation of aqueous tertiary amine solutions by UV light in the presence of titanium dioxide resulted in the formation of ammonium and nitrate ions.
Chemical/Physical. Triethylamine reacted with NOx in the dark to form diethylnitrosamine. In an outdoor chamber, photooxidation by natural sunlight yielded the following products: diethylnitramine, diethylformamide, diethylacetamide, ethylacetamide, diethylhydroxylamine, ozone, acetaldehyde, and peroxyacetyl nitrate (Pitts et al., 1978).

Metabolism

There have been few studies on the metabolism of industrially important aliphatic amines such as triethylamine. It is generally assumed that amines not normally present in the body are metabolized by monoamine oxidase and diamine oxidase (histaminase).
Ultimately ammonia is formed and will be converted to urea. The hydrogen peroxide formed is acted upon by catalase and the aldehyde formed is thought to be converted to the corresponding carboxylic acid by the action of aldehyde oxidase (Beard and Noe 1981).

Shipping

UN1296 Triethylamine, Hazard Class: 3; Labels: 3-Flammable liquid, 8-Corrosive material.

Incompatibilities

A strong base. Violent reaction with strong acids; halogenated compounds; and strong oxidizers. Attacks some forms of plastics, rubber and coatings. Corrosive to aluminum, zinc, copper, and their alloys in the presence of moisture. Reaction with nitrosating agents (e.g., nitrites, nitrous gases, and nitrous acid) capable of releasing carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Waste Disposal

Controlled incineration (incinerator equipped with a scrubber or thermal unit to reduce nitrogen oxides emissions).