2-Ethoxyethanol
Encyclopedia
2-Ethoxyethanol, also known by the trademark Cellosolve or ethyl cellosolve, is a solvent
used widely in commercial and industrial applications. It is a clear, colorless, nearly odorless liquid that is miscible with water, ethanol
, diethyl ether
, acetone
, and ethyl acetate
.
2-Ethoxyethanol can be manufactured by the reaction of ethylene oxide
with ethanol
.
As with other glycol ethers, 2-ethoxyethanol has the useful property of being able to dissolve chemically diverse compounds. It will dissolve oils, resins, grease, waxes, nitrocellulose
, and lacquers. This is an ideal property as a multi-purpose cleaner, and, therefore, 2-ethoxyethanol is used in products, such as varnish removers and degreasing solutions.
Solvent
A solvent is a liquid, solid, or gas that dissolves another solid, liquid, or gaseous solute, resulting in a solution that is soluble in a certain volume of solvent at a specified temperature...
used widely in commercial and industrial applications. It is a clear, colorless, nearly odorless liquid that is miscible with water, ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
, diethyl ether
Diethyl ether
Diethyl ether, also known as ethyl ether, simply ether, or ethoxyethane, is an organic compound in the ether class with the formula . It is a colorless, highly volatile flammable liquid with a characteristic odor...
, acetone
Acetone
Acetone is the organic compound with the formula 2CO, a colorless, mobile, flammable liquid, the simplest example of the ketones.Acetone is miscible with water and serves as an important solvent in its own right, typically as the solvent of choice for cleaning purposes in the laboratory...
, and ethyl acetate
Ethyl acetate
Ethyl acetate is the organic compound with the formula CH3COOCH2CH3. This colorless liquid has a characteristic sweet smell and is used in glues, nail polish removers, and cigarettes...
.
2-Ethoxyethanol can be manufactured by the reaction of ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide, also called oxirane, is the organic compound with the formula . It is a cyclic ether. This means that it is composed of two alkyl groups attached to an oxygen atom in a cyclic shape . This colorless flammable gas with a faintly sweet odor is the simplest epoxide, a three-membered...
with ethanol
Ethanol
Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid. It is a psychoactive drug and one of the oldest recreational drugs. Best known as the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, it is also used in thermometers, as a...
.
As with other glycol ethers, 2-ethoxyethanol has the useful property of being able to dissolve chemically diverse compounds. It will dissolve oils, resins, grease, waxes, nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
, and lacquers. This is an ideal property as a multi-purpose cleaner, and, therefore, 2-ethoxyethanol is used in products, such as varnish removers and degreasing solutions.