2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline Pretilachlor Amine · CAS 61874-13-3
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier of 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline, the secondary amine that sits one acylation step away from pretilachlor. The hindered diethyl ring and the propoxyethyl side chain are both carried unchanged into the finished herbicide. Every consignment leaves with a batch-specific COA and the current SDS.
Also known as: Pretilachlor amine, N-(2-Propoxyethyl)-2,6-diethylaniline, 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)benzenamine, Propoxyethyl diethylaniline
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Price, lead time and a sample COA for 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline, usually within one working day. We ship worldwide.
Request a Quote Email the DeskDocumentation
- Batch-specific COA (assay, residual amine, colour)
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
- Dangerous-goods transport documents where applicable
- Third-party inspection on request
- Certificate of origin
What is 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline?
2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline is a secondary aromatic amine: a 2,6-diethylaniline whose nitrogen carries a 2-propoxyethyl chain, formula C₁₅H₂₅NO. It is supplied as a yellow to brown liquid, poorly soluble in water and miscible with common organic solvents.
Its commercial identity is straightforward — it is the amine half of pretilachlor. Acylate that nitrogen with chloroacetyl chloride and you have the finished chloroacetanilide herbicide used for weed control in rice.
Every structural feature is already in place for that purpose. The two ethyl groups flanking the ring nitrogen give the hindered geometry that chloroacetanilide herbicides depend on, and the propoxyethyl ether chain is the side group that distinguishes pretilachlor from the other members of its family.
Handling follows standard practice for a substituted aniline derivative: gloves, eye protection, good ventilation, and particular care over aquatic release given the class it belongs to.
Why this intermediate specifically
- One step from the active. A single acylation completes the herbicide, so the amine's quality is effectively the active's quality.
- The hindered diethyl ring is already built. No alkylation chemistry left to run in your own plant.
- The ether chain is already attached. The propoxyethyl group is what makes it pretilachlor rather than a sibling compound.
- A liquid that charges cleanly. Pumped and metered rather than handled as a solid.
How 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline is Manufactured
The commercial route attaches the ether side chain to 2,6-diethylaniline, most often by reductive amination.
- Side-chain preparation. A propoxy-substituted acetaldehyde is prepared, usually handled as its acetal, from a chloroacetaldehyde acetal and sodium propoxide.
- Reductive amination. 2,6-Diethylaniline is condensed with that aldehyde and hydrogenated over a catalyst under controlled pressure and temperature.
- Workup. Catalyst and water are removed and unreacted diethylaniline is stripped from the crude product.
- Purification and release. Distilled or refined to the target assay, then assay, residual 2,6-diethylaniline and colour are confirmed before packing.
Typical Commercial Specification
Figures below are representative of commercial-grade 2,6-diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline. Tell us your downstream route and the grade you need, and we will advise on the specification to order against.
| Parameter | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Yellow to brown clear liquid |
| Assay | 97% min by GC — tighter grades to specification |
| Residual 2,6-diethylaniline | Trace levels to grade |
| Moisture | Low, to grade |
| Colour | To grade; freshness indicator ahead of use |
Physical & Chemical Properties
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical formula | C₁₅H₂₅NO |
| Molecular weight | 235.37 g/mol |
| Appearance | Yellow to brown liquid |
| Physical state | Liquid at room temperature |
| Solubility | Poorly soluble in water; miscible with common organic solvents |
| Storage | Cool, dry, sealed; nitrogen blanket preferred |
| Incompatibilities | Strong oxidisers, strong acids, acid chlorides in storage |
| Stability | Stable under normal storage; darkens on prolonged air exposure |
Behaviour in the process
The secondary amine is what the molecule is bought for:
- Acylation. The nitrogen is acylated with chloroacetyl chloride, typically in a biphasic system with caustic and an organic solvent, to give the chloroacetanilide.
- Steric hindrance. The flanking ethyl groups slow nitrogen chemistry; this is designed in, but it affects reaction time and temperature.
- Ether stability. The propoxyethyl ether is inert under the acylation conditions and simply carries through.
- Oxidative sensitivity. Darkens on prolonged air exposure; store sealed and preferably under nitrogen.
This Intermediate and Related Chloroacetanilide Precursors
Choosing between these comes down to which chloroacetanilide active you are making and how much of the molecule you want delivered.
| Material | Stage | When it is the right choice |
|---|---|---|
| 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline | Secondary amine, one step from the active | Pretilachlor manufacture |
| 2,6-Diethylaniline | Primary amine, two steps out | Routes where you run the side-chain attachment yourself |
| 2-Ethyl-6-methylaniline | Primary amine, different ring | Metolachlor-family routes rather than pretilachlor |
| 2,6-Diisopropylaniline | Primary amine, bulkier ring | Thiourea and ligand chemistry rather than chloroacetanilides |
Stated plainly: buying the secondary amine rather than the parent aniline moves the reductive amination and its hydrogenation infrastructure out of your plant and leaves you with a single acylation.
Industries We Supply This Intermediate To
This is a focused product with a focused customer base. What changes between buyers is scale, the impurity limits in the specification and the registration documentation each requires.
Where 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline is Used
In downstream functionalisation
The commercial step is a straightforward acylation: chloroacetyl chloride meets the secondary nitrogen in a two-phase system with caustic soda and an organic solvent, the hydrogen chloride is neutralised as it forms, and the chloroacetanilide separates with the organic layer. Because the nitrogen is crowded by two ethyl groups, that reaction wants a little more time or temperature than an unhindered amine would.
Need a specific purity grade?
Tell us the purity grade you need, your downstream chemistry, the packing format you can receive and the annual quantity. We will come back with a price, a lead time and a sample COA.
Quality Control & Testing
Every lot is released against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis, with residual 2,6-diethylaniline reported alongside the main assay because that is the impurity your registration dossier will ask about.
- Assay — by GC, the primary grade measure.
- Residual 2,6-diethylaniline — reported because it acylates alongside the product and carries into the active.
- Moisture — reported because water consumes acylating agent in your next step.
- Colour — reported as a freshness and storage-condition indicator.
Common Process Problems & Likely Causes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Anilide impurity in the active | Residual 2,6-diethylaniline acylating alongside the product | Residual amine figure on the COA |
| High acylating-agent consumption | Moisture in the feed hydrolysing chloroacetyl chloride | Moisture figure on the COA and drum handling practice |
| Slow acylation | Steric hindrance from the flanking ethyl groups | Temperature, caustic strength and phase mixing in your step |
| Darkened material on receipt | Air exposure or heat in storage or transit | Lot age and nitrogen blanket; confirm assay before rejecting |
Packaging, Storage & Shipping
- Standard packing. Drums or jerricans, typically 25 – 200 kg net, with IBC and larger bulk formats on contract supply.
- Oxidation protection. Keep containers tightly sealed and store under nitrogen where the material will sit before use.
- Temperature control. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from direct sun, heat and ignition sources.
- Material compatibility. Keep away from strong oxidisers, strong acids and acid chlorides in storage.
- Transport classification. Confirm the UN entry, class and packing group against your own current SDS, including any environmentally hazardous substance provisions.
Hazards & Safe Handling
This intermediate is irritating to skin and eyes and belongs to a class with meaningful aquatic toxicity. Work to your own current SDS for the exact classification of your grade rather than to general amine-handling practice.
- Skin and eye contact. Chemical-resistant gloves and goggles are standard; rinse thoroughly with water on contact.
- Inhalation. Use adequate ventilation during transfers and charging.
- PPE. Chemical-resistant gloves, safety goggles and a suitable respirator where vapour or aerosol exposure is a concern.
- Environment. This class carries significant aquatic toxicity. Contain spills, avoid any release to water, and follow local effluent rules closely.
Regulatory & Compliance Notes
2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline is a specialty agrochemical intermediate. Because obligations differ by territory and use, the notes below are orientation rather than legal advice.
- GHS classification. Commonly classified for skin and eye irritation with aquatic hazard statements; the SDS carries the full hazard statements for your grade.
- Chemical inventories. Inventory status varies by territory for intermediates of this kind — confirm before import, particularly for commercial quantities.
- Agrochemical registration. Where this feeds a registered active, your dossier will specify impurity limits including residual 2,6-diethylaniline. Tell us those limits at enquiry rather than after the first delivery.
- HS code. Commonly declared under the oxygen-function amino-compounds heading covering amino-ethers; confirm the exact tariff line with your customs broker.
We Supply This Intermediate Worldwide
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and export partner, not a single-plant trader. We ship 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline from India and from partner sources to customers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North and South America, handling the export documentation and freight so the material arrives ready to use.
- Incoterms. EXW, FOB, CIF, CFR and DAP quoted to suit your purchasing terms and freight arrangements.
- Ports. Regular shipments through Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and Mundra, with other ports arranged as routing allows.
- Documentation. Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, COA and SDS issued as a complete set.
- Flexible volumes. From trial quantities up to repeat bulk shipments on a supply contract.
Buying 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline from Chelora
We are an independent sourcing and supply partner. For this product that means settling three things at enquiry: the assay and residual-amine grade your registration requires, the packing format, and the quantity you are buying.
- Documentation on every lot. Batch-specific COA with assay and impurity breakdown, plus the current SDS.
- Analysis before commitment. Representative analysis shared ahead of a commercial order so your lab can qualify the material.
- Quantities. Trial quantities through to larger bulk shipments on contract supply.
- Inspection. Independent third-party inspection available at loading when the contract requires it.
- Related intermediates. Alkyl anilines and other agrochemical building blocks alongside this product from one supplier.
How ordering works
- Send the enquiry. Assay grade, residual-amine limit, quantity, destination port and the Incoterm you buy on.
- We quote. Price, lead time, packing format and a sample COA, normally within one working day.
- Qualify the supply. For first orders or registered-active applications, we share the analysis so your technical team can sign off before you commit.
- Confirm the order. Proforma invoice issued; payment terms agreed against the volume and the relationship.
- Ship and document. Packed, labelled and loaded with the full export document set, and tracked through to arrival.
2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline — Common Questions
The questions our technical desk is asked most often about this intermediate. If yours isn't here, call or email and you will reach someone who knows the chemistry.
What is the CAS number of 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline?
The CAS number is 61874-13-3. Its molecular formula is C₁₅H₂₅NO with a molecular weight of 235.37 g/mol.
What is this intermediate used for?
Its principal commercial use is pretilachlor manufacture — the nitrogen is acylated with chloroacetyl chloride to give the rice herbicide in a single step.
Why buy the secondary amine instead of 2,6-diethylaniline?
Because it moves the reductive amination — and the hydrogenation infrastructure it needs — out of your plant, leaving one acylation step to run yourself.
What does the propoxyethyl chain do?
It is the side group that distinguishes pretilachlor from other chloroacetanilide herbicides. It takes no part in the acylation and is simply carried through to the finished active.
How is it manufactured?
By reductive amination: 2,6-diethylaniline is condensed with a propoxy-substituted acetaldehyde, usually supplied as its acetal, and hydrogenated over a catalyst, then purified.
Is it hazardous?
It is irritating to skin and eyes and belongs to a class with meaningful aquatic toxicity. Refer to the current SDS for your grade for the complete hazard classification.
What is the transport classification?
It depends on the grade and its aquatic-hazard classification, which can bring environmentally hazardous substance provisions into play. Confirm the UN number, class and packing group against your own current SDS before shipping.
Which impurity matters most downstream?
Residual 2,6-diethylaniline. It acylates alongside the product and produces a related anilide that lands directly in the active's impurity profile.
Why is moisture control emphasised?
Because water hydrolyses chloroacetyl chloride in your acylation step. Wet feed quietly raises your reagent consumption without necessarily failing an assay test.
How should it be stored?
In tightly sealed containers, cool, dry and well ventilated, ideally under nitrogen, away from direct sun, heat, strong oxidisers and acid chlorides.
What purity grades do you offer?
Standard commercial grade is 97% minimum by GC, with residual 2,6-diethylaniline, moisture and colour reported on the COA. Tighter grades are available against a stated specification.
What packing sizes and order quantities are available?
Drums or jerricans, typically 25–200 kg net, with IBC and larger bulk formats available on contract supply. Orders run from trial quantities up to repeat bulk loads.
Ready to source 2,6-Diethyl-N-(2-propoxyethyl)aniline?
Send us your purity requirement and annual volume. You will get a price, a realistic lead time and a sample COA from someone who understands what the material has to do in your process — delivered anywhere in the world.