2-Dimethylaminoethanol L-hydrogentartrate stands out as a compound that combines dimethylaminoethanol, a tertiary amine and alcohol, with L-hydrogentartrate, derived from tartaric acid. This chemical has found a place in specialty manufacturing, research, and industry-focused laboratories. I’ve noticed how its versatility becomes important when fine-tuning solutions for lab synthesis or pharmaceutical study, especially since it brings the characteristics of both its parent molecules. Its molecular formula is C6H15NO6, giving it a structured presence among organic raw materials, often used in both pilot and production scale batches.
Solid at room temperature, 2-dimethylaminoethanol L-hydrogentartrate often appears as colorless or white flakes or powder. Occasionally you’ll find it presenting as small crystalline pearls, and depending on purity and handling, it can also form a smooth crystalline layer. This solid form makes storage and handling safer compared to some liquid amines or acids. With a typical density around 1.15–1.25 g/cm³, it packs a noticeable weight when measured against similar organic salts. Solubility in water and most polar solvents allows it to transition quickly into solutions, which is something lab technicians value. The structure centers on a tetrahedral carbon backbone, with the dimethylaminoethanol group clasped to the tartaric acid via salt bonds, producing a reliable framework for predictable reactions.
The molecular weight hovers near 213 g/mol, depending on hydration. In studies, I’ve seen the material holds together nicely under standard ambient pressure and temperature, resisting deliquescence. This property is important, as it means you don’t end up with clumped or gummy powders after a few days on the bench. While not volatile, special care is needed if working with fine powder, since inhalation can result in irritation. The compound refracts light precisely due to its organized crystalline nature, so purity is best judged by clarity and absence of discoloration. The formula C6H15NO6 maps neatly onto the tartaric acid salt family, delivering balance of mass and solubility for solution-phase work.
Manufacturers typically offer this material in high-purity grades, with specifications listing moisture content (under 1%), melting point close to 150–160°C, and fine granular texture. You’ll find packages ranging from one kilogram pouches for research grade to 25-kilogram drums for plant operators. Some labs dissolve it in deionized water before use, relying on the material’s clarity to verify minimal impurity levels. HS Code 29224999 covers it under organic base salts, so customs and importers recognize its chemical and pharmaceutical applications. Documentation supplies batch analysis, ensuring reproducibility for both raw material blending and research investigation.
2-Dimethylaminoethanol L-hydrogentartrate presents as a mild irritant. In my experience wearing gloves and a laboratory coat eliminates risk, but anyone careless about powder transfer soon learns about throat or skin irritation. Eye protection remains non-negotiable. As a solid, it doesn’t pose a major inhalation threat at low quantities, although dust masks help during weighing operations. Exposure through broken skin could potentially introduce tingling or mild local reactions, though acute toxicity is low compared to more caustic amines. Standard chemical safety protocols—labeling, sealed storage, and routine cleanup—minimize accident potential. It doesn’t have a broad hazardous symbol profile, but local waste authorities usually require spent solutions or contaminated packaging to go through controlled disposal. Spill control mostly involves sweeping up powders for inert waste, not full hazmat response, but it pays to keep routine exposures low out of simple respect for chemical unpredictability.
Used as a raw material for chiral synthesis, buffer solutions, and even in pharmaceutical intermediaries, this compound ships across borders. Its role as a base allows for reaction specificity, so chemists choose it when looking for manageable reactivity without overwhelming hazardous characteristics. I’ve seen it serve as a foundation for quaternary ammonium synthesis, or as a buffering component during intricate organic reactions where the purity and structure affect downstream product. Manufacturing standards rely on its presence as a reference or ingredient, so quality always ranks high with every shipment. In solution form, the material doesn’t cloud or precipitate rapidly, so once-you’ve-dissolved-it, you’re left with a clear testable medium. This quality simplifies quality assurance and batch record keeping. Its chemical profile remains favorable enough that regulatory approval isn’t an exercise in paperwork acrobatics like you find with some raw amines.
With research shifting towards greener chemistry and safer workspaces, attention falls on how raw materials like 2-dimethylaminoethanol L-hydrogentartrate perform over time. Less hazardous than many traditional alternatives, its reputation continues to grow among procurement officers and lab managers. For those working in scaling up, attention to purity and moisture level in the solid powder helps avoid failed reactions or messy filtrations later. Testing storage stability and solution clarity informs quality decisions. Thoughtful packaging and real-world logistics—smaller pouches inside airtight drums—help preserve material quality through long shipping routes. In my career, having reliable, well-characterized chemicals forms the backbone of successful experiments, and this compound’s consistent behavior over repeated orders stands out as a rare bit of simplicity in an otherwise tangled supply chain.
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