Methylamine CAS 74-89-5

What is Methylamine?

Methylamine is the simplest primary aliphatic amine — a single methyl group attached to nitrogen, CH₃NH₂. It is the first member of the methylamine family, sitting alongside dimethylamine and trimethylamine, all three of which come off the same reactor and are separated by distillation.

At ambient temperature and pressure methylamine is a colourless gas with a sharp, ammoniacal to fishy odour detectable far below any hazardous concentration. That odour is a useful warning property, and it is also the reason handling areas need proper ventilation even when concentrations are nowhere near a safety limit. Under modest pressure it liquefies, which is how anhydrous material is shipped.

Commercially, most buyers do not handle the gas at all. Methylamine is overwhelmingly traded as a 40% aqueous solution, and to a lesser extent as solutions in methanol or ethanol. The aqueous solution is a clear, colourless, strongly alkaline liquid that behaves like a flammable corrosive liquid rather than a compressed gas, which makes it far simpler to store, meter and react in a general-purpose plant.

It is strongly basic — more basic than ammonia — and that basicity, combined with a nitrogen carrying two replaceable hydrogens, is the whole commercial story. Methylamine introduces the N-methyl group into molecules, and the N-methyl group appears in an enormous share of modern agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and solvents. It is one of the highest-tonnage amines in the world for exactly that reason.

Why methylamine specifically

• Introduces the N-methyl group. A huge number of drug molecules, carbamate insecticides and polar aprotic solvents carry an N-CH₃ fragment. Methylamine is the cheapest, highest-volume way to put it there.
• Strong base, small molecule. pK_a of the conjugate acid is around 10.6, higher than ammonia, so it deprotonates and acylates readily while staying sterically unhindered.
• Two reactive N-H bonds. Unlike dimethylamine it can form amides, imines, ureas and heterocycles that still carry a free N-H for further chemistry.
• Available as a liquid solution. The 40% aqueous grade removes the need for pressurised gas handling, which is why most batch plants buy it that way rather than as a liquefied gas.

How MMA is Manufactured

Methylamine is made continuously from methanol and ammonia. The same reactor produces all three methylamines at once, and what separates one supplier's product from another is the separation train rather than the reaction itself.

• Amination. Methanol and excess ammonia are passed over an acidic catalyst — amorphous silica-alumina or a shape-selective zeolite — at roughly 350–450 °C and 20–30 bar. Water is eliminated and a thermodynamic mixture of mono-, di- and trimethylamine comes off together with unconverted ammonia and methanol.
• Recycle and shift. Because the equilibrium favours the di- and tri- products, surplus trimethylamine is recycled back to the reactor with extra ammonia to push the distribution toward monomethylamine. Plants running shape-selective zeolites get a better MMA split directly and recycle less.
• Separation. The mixture is resolved in a series of distillation columns. Trimethylamine forms an azeotrope with ammonia and water, so extractive distillation with water is used to break it. This column train is the heart of the plant and the reason methylamines are produced by a relatively small number of large manufacturers.
• Finishing. Monomethylamine is drawn off and either liquefied under pressure as anhydrous product or absorbed into demineralised water to make the 40% aqueous solution. Alcoholic solutions are prepared the same way using methanol or ethanol.

Typical Commercial Specification

Figures below are representative of 40% aqueous commercial grade and of anhydrous material. Pharmaceutical and electronic grades with tighter amine-distribution and metals limits are available — send us the specification you work to.

Physical & Chemical Properties

Reactivity in practice

The chemistry buyers actually exploit comes down to four reaction types, all of them driven by the lone pair on nitrogen and the two replaceable N-H hydrogens:

• Amidation and acylation. Reaction with esters, acid chlorides or anhydrides gives N-methyl amides. This is the route into N-methylpyrrolidone, N-methylformamide and a long list of amide-containing actives.
• Ring formation. With γ-butyrolactone it closes to N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; with other difunctional partners it builds pyrrolidones, imidazolines, triazines and related N-methyl heterocycles.
• Carbamate and urea formation. Reaction through isocyanate or carbamoyl chemistry gives the N-methyl carbamate backbone that defines a whole class of insecticides, as well as substituted ureas used as herbicides.
• Alkylation and quaternisation. Further alkylation gives secondary and tertiary amines and ultimately quaternary ammonium salts used as surfactants, biocides and phase-transfer catalysts.

Methylamine vs Dimethylamine vs Trimethylamine

The three methylamines come out of the same reactor and are often quoted together, but they are not interchangeable. The number of methyl groups on nitrogen decides how many N-H bonds are left, and that decides what chemistry is available.

Stated plainly: monomethylamine keeps two N-H bonds and can still form amides, imines and heterocycles; dimethylamine keeps one and is the route to dialkyl amides such as DMF; trimethylamine has none and is used almost entirely for quaternisation. Substituting one for another is a reformulation, not a swap. Chelora supplies all three.

Industries We Supply MMA To

The same molecule leaves our warehouse for very different factories. What changes between them is not the CAS number but the grade, the solution strength, the packing and the documentation each sector expects.

Where MMA is Used

Methylamine is a true platform chemical. These are the end uses our customers buy it for, roughly in order of volume.

In pharmaceutical synthesis

A remarkable proportion of small-molecule drugs carry an N-methyl group, and methylamine is how it gets there. It is used to form N-methyl amides, to open epoxides into methylamino alcohols, and to build the N-methylated heterocycles common in respiratory, analgesic and CNS chemistry. API producers run the tightest specifications in the market — residual methanol, dimethylamine carry-over and heavy metals all have to clear ICH limits, so standard technical grade is rarely acceptable without upgrading.

In agrochemical manufacture

The N-methyl carbamate insecticides are built on a methylamine-derived carbamate linkage, and several major substituted-urea herbicides are likewise N-methylated. For these plants consistency matters more than extreme purity: a shifting amine distribution changes the by-product profile in the reactor and shows up as a yield loss rather than as an off-spec certificate.

In NMP and solvent production

Methylamine reacted with γ-butyrolactone gives N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, one of the most widely used polar aprotic solvents in coatings, electronics, lube extraction and petrochemical processing. Solvent producers typically buy anhydrous material or a concentrated aqueous solution and run the reaction continuously.

In surfactant chemistry

N-methyl taurates and sarcosinates — mild, skin-friendly surfactants used widely in personal care — are made from methylamine derivatives. Here colour is a real specification: an off-colour amine carries straight through into a finished surfactant that a cosmetic customer will reject on appearance alone.

Quality Control & Testing

Every lot is released against a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis. The methods behind the numbers are standard across the industry, and we are happy to share them or to work to your own in-house test protocol.

• Assay and amine distribution — gas chromatography, which resolves mono-, di- and trimethylamine and quantifies residual ammonia and methanol in one run.
• Strength of solution — acid-base titration against standardised acid, the figure that actually governs your charge calculation on an aqueous grade.
• Water content — Karl Fischer titration on anhydrous material. Water is the specification that most often decides whether anhydrous grade performs in a moisture-sensitive reaction.
• Colour — APHA / Hazen against a standard. Colour drift usually signals oxidation or metal pickup somewhere in storage or transfer.
• Metals — iron in particular, since it catalyses discolouration and can poison downstream hydrogenation catalysts.
• Non-volatile residue — evaporation residue, a quick check for carry-over of heavies from the column train.

Common Process Problems & Likely Causes

When methylamine misbehaves in a plant, the cause is usually one of a short list of things. This table is the shortcut our technical desk works through before anyone opens a complaint file.

Packaging, Storage & Shipping

• Aqueous solution packing. 200 L HDPE or lined steel drums, 1000 L IBCs, and bulk road or ISO tank loads for continuous users.
• Anhydrous packing. Pressurised cylinders, tonne containers and ISO tanks, handled as a liquefied flammable gas.
• Storage. Cool, shaded, well-ventilated area away from heat sources, ignition sources, oxidisers and acids. Keep containers closed and store aqueous solution below 30 °C where possible.
• Materials of construction. Stainless steel, carbon steel or suitable lined vessels. Avoid copper, brass, bronze, aluminium and mercury, all of which are attacked by amines.
• Venting and pressure. Vapour pressure rises sharply with temperature. Storage and transfer systems need appropriate relief and a vent routed to a safe place.
• Shelf life. Typically 12 months in unopened original packing under those conditions. Beyond that, re-test rather than assume.
• Transport classification. Anhydrous: UN 1061, Methylamine anhydrous, Class 2.1. Aqueous solution: UN 1235, Methylamine aqueous solution, Class 3 with subsidiary risk 8, Packing Group II.
• Container loading. Palletised and secured for FCL; LCL consolidation and tank arrangements available by volume.

Hazards & Safe Handling

Methylamine is flammable, corrosive and acutely toxic by inhalation, and must be handled by trained personnel under a proper risk assessment. The classifications below are indicative — the current SDS supplied with your consignment is the governing document.

• Exposure control. Handle in a closed system or under local exhaust ventilation. Gas-detection and alarm cover is standard practice where anhydrous material is used.
• PPE. Chemical-resistant gloves, chemical goggles and face shield, chemical-resistant suit, and respiratory protection suited to the task. Full-face protection for any transfer operation.
• Ignition control. Vapours are flammable and heavier handling areas need bonded, earthed and explosion-proof equipment. Eliminate ignition sources from the zone.
• Incompatibilities. Strong oxidising agents, strong acids, acid chlorides, mercury, and copper, brass, bronze and aluminium equipment.
• Spill response. Evacuate and ventilate. Contain, absorb with inert material and collect in a labelled closed container; water spray can knock down vapour. Do not wash to drain.
• Environment. Do not allow to enter drains, surface water or groundwater. Dispose through a licensed chemical waste contractor.
• Fire. Flammable. Cool exposed containers with water spray from a protected position. Decomposition releases nitrogen oxides — use self-contained breathing apparatus.
• First aid. Move to fresh air, remove contaminated clothing immediately, wash skin with plenty of water, flush eyes for at least 15 minutes, and seek medical attention with the SDS to hand.

Regulatory & Compliance Notes

Methylamine is a long-established industrial chemical and is listed on the major national chemical inventories. It is also a monitored precursor in several jurisdictions, so expect more documentation than a routine solvent purchase. The notes below are orientation rather than legal advice — confirm your own position with your regulatory adviser before importing.

• Inventory status. Listed on the principal chemical inventories in the major importing regions. Ask us for the inventory confirmation relevant to your destination country.
• Precursor controls. Methylamine is a scheduled or listed precursor chemical in a number of countries, including under United States drug-precursor legislation and comparable controls elsewhere. Buyers should expect end-use declarations, licence checks and record-keeping obligations as a normal part of the purchase.
• Import registration. Several territories require the importer to hold a registration or notification before a consignment lands. Start that process early — it is the most common cause of delay at destination.
• Hazard communication. Supplied with an SDS compliant with the format applicable to your region, and labelled in line with the GHS classification for the product.
• Dangerous goods. UN 1061 (anhydrous, Class 2.1) or UN 1235 (aqueous solution, Class 3 / 8, PG II). Declarations prepared for IMDG (sea) or IATA (air) as appropriate to the mode.
• Workplace exposure. Occupational exposure limits apply in most jurisdictions and are typically set well above the odour threshold. Set your controls against the limit in force where the material will be handled.

We Supply MMA Worldwide

Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and export partner, not a single-plant trader. We ship Methylamine from India to customers across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North and South America, handling the export documentation, dangerous-goods paperwork 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 Indian ports arranged where it suits the routing.
• Documentation. Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, COA, SDS and dangerous-goods declaration issued as a complete set.
• Flexible volumes. A single drum for laboratory qualification, through LCL consolidations, up to repeat tank loads on a supply contract.
• Supply continuity. Because we are independent of any one producer, a plant turnaround or a shipping disruption at one source does not have to become your stock-out.

Buying MMA from Chelora

We are an independent sourcing and supply partner. For methylamine that means matching the form and the grade to the application — anhydrous for a dry, pressure-rated plant, 40% aqueous for a general batch facility, a low-methanol cut for pharmaceutical work — rather than selling whatever happens to be in the tank.

• Documentation on every lot. Batch-specific COA, current SDS and TDS issued with the consignment, not weeks afterward.
• Samples before commitment. Trial quantities for process qualification ahead of a commercial order.
• Quantities. From a single drum through to tank loads and ongoing contract supply.
• Export experience. Dangerous-goods documentation, packing and labelling handled for sea and road freight to any destination.
• Technical support. Direct access to people who know the chemistry, for questions on amine distribution, solution strength or materials compatibility.
• Related intermediates. Dimethylamine, trimethylamine, the ethylamines and the wider aliphatic amine range from one supplier.

How ordering works

• Send the enquiry. Product, grade or specification, quantity, destination port and the Incoterm you buy on. If you have a spec sheet, attach it — it saves a round trip.
• We quote. Price, lead time, packing and a sample COA, normally within one working day.
• Sample and qualify. For first orders or critical applications, we send a trial quantity so your lab can sign off before you commit.
• Confirm the order. Proforma invoice issued; payment terms agreed against the volume and the relationship.
• Production and QC. Material allocated and released against a batch-specific COA, with a pre-shipment sample where the application calls for it.
• Ship and document. Packed, labelled and loaded with the full export and dangerous-goods document set, and tracked through to arrival.

Related Amines & Intermediates

Buyers of methylamine usually source several of these alongside it. Consolidating them on one order cuts freight cost and gives you a single point of contact for documentation.