Triethylamine

Triethylamine is an amine, with the formula N(CH2CH3)₃. Pure triethylamine exists as a liquid at room temperature.

Properties

Physical

Triethylamine is a colorless liquid with a melting point of -114.7C and a boiling point around 88.6C. It has a strong,fishy odor reminiscent of ammonia.

Chemical

Triethylamine 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.

Preparation

Triethylamine can be prepared by heating ethyl bromide and anhydrous ammonia in absolute ethanol in an oven for three hours,removing the product,distilling off the alcohol,and adding hydrochloric acid to the product to convert it to its hydrochloride salt. Melt the triethylamine hydrochloride and filter off the ammonium chloride crystals that remain. After filtering,freebase the triethylamine and once again add ethyl bromide. Heat in a steam oven for three hours and allow it to slowly cool. Remove the resulting liquid.

References

Relevant Sciencemadness threads

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/files.php?pid=233855&aid=17257

http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=61855