DMDEE


DMDEE is an acronym for dimorpholinodiethyl ether but is almost always referred to as DMDEE in the polyurethane industry. It is an organic chemical, specifically a nitrogen-oxygen heterocycle with tertiary amine functionality. It is a catalyst used mainly to produce polyurethane foam. It has the CAS number 6425-39-4 and is TSCA and REACH registered and on EINECS with the number 229-194-7. The IUPAC name is 4-morpholine and the chemical formula C12H24N2O3.

Other names

Main section reference.
  • Morpholine, 4,4'-bis-
  • Bis Ether
  • 4,4'-dimorpholine
  • 2,2-Dimorpholinodiethylether
  • 2,2'-Dimorpholinodiethyl ether
  • 4,4'-bis
  • 4-morpholine
  • 2,2'-Dimorpholinyldiethyl ether

    Use as a polyurethane catalyst

DMDEE tends to be used in one-component rather than 2-component polyurethane systems. Its use has been investigated in polyurethanes for controlled drug release and also adhesives for medical applications. Its use as a catalyst including the kinetics and thermodynamics have been studied and reported on extensively. It is a popular catalyst along with DABCO.

Toxicity

The material has been in use for some time and so the toxicity is generally well understood. However, some sources say toxicity data is limited and work continues to acquire the necessary data and publish to ensure it is in the public domain.