Dimethoxyethane

　　Coupling agent for water-based dilute coatings (often used in mixtures); active solvent for water-based coatings; household and industrial cleaners, degreasers, and paint strippers, metal cleaners; basic solvent and coupling agent for solvent-based screen printing inks; coupling agent and solvent for vat dye fabrics; coupling agent and skin care agent in cosmetic formulations; stabilizer for agricultural pesticides; fixative for fragrances; coagulant for floor polishes.

　　Organic synthesis and catalytic reactions

　　Polar aprotic solvent:

　　Used in Grignard reactions (e.g., preparation of phenylmagnesium bromide from bromobenzene and magnesium in EGDME) and alkyl lithium reagent reactions (e.g., coupling of n-butyllithium with halogenated hydrocarbons), stabilizing reaction intermediates due to its coordination ability;

　　Used as a solvent in Friedel-Crafts reactions to improve the solubility of catalysts (e.g., AlCl₃).

　　Polymerization reaction medium:

　　Solvent for ring-opening polymerization of epoxides (e.g., preparation of polyethers from propylene oxide), regulating polymer molecular weight distribution;

　　Controls reaction rate in anionic polymerization (e.g., styrene polymerization) to avoid chain termination.

　　2. Lithium batteries and electrochemistry fields

　　Electrolyte solvent:

　　Early use in lithium metal battery electrolytes, combined with dimethoxyethane (DME) to dissolve LiAsF₆, but its low boiling point (84℃) limited high-temperature performance;

　　Solid electrolyte precursor solvent, dissolving lithium salts and polymer matrices (e.g., PEO) to prepare gel electrolytes.

　　3. Coatings and adhesives

　　Specialty solvent:

　　Used as a diluent in nitrocellulose coatings to reduce system viscosity and improve film gloss;

　　Regulates curing speed in polyurethane adhesives and is combined with alcohol solvents to promote the reactivity of isocyanate groups.

　　4. Other industrial uses

　　Used as a dye co-solvent in textile printing and dyeing to improve the solubility of disperse dyes;

　　Reaction medium for pharmaceutical intermediate synthesis (e.g., preparation of antibiotic raw materials);

　　Extractant, used to separate aromatic compounds from petroleum fractions.

CAS NO: 110-71-4

EC NO: 203-794-9

Molecular Formula: C₄H₁₀O₂

Molecular Weight: 90.121

Aliases: Dimethyl cellosolve; 1,2-Dimethoxyethane; 1,2-Dimethoxyethane; 1,2-Dimethoxyhexane; 1,2-Dimethylethane; Ethylene glycol dimethyl ether;

Structural Formula: