Triethylene glycol

Description:
Triethylene glycol is a polyether that is used as a solvent and an additive in various products. Triethylene glycol can be found in water-based paints, cosmetics, and polyurethane plastics. It has a low toxicity to humans and animals. The rate constant of the reaction between triethylene glycol and coumarin derivatives has been determined by fluorescence probe techniques. The polymerization mechanism of triethylene glycol has been studied with the aid of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a model system. This polymerization mechanism depends on the coordination geometry of the reactants. The polymerization of triethylene glycol is initiated by oxidative addition to produce the monoethyl ether followed by elimination to form the corresponding diols, which are then oxidized to give the final product. Triethylene glycol is also used in cell nuclei staining techniques to identify nuclear morphology or DNA content.